Matthew 18
Modern English Version
The Greatest in the Kingdom(A)
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in their midst, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such little child in My name receives Me.
Temptations to Sin(B)
6 “But whoever misleads one of these little ones who believe in Me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung about his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of temptations! For it must be that temptations come, but woe to that man by whom the temptation comes! 8 Therefore if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life lame or maimed than having two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than having two eyes to be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep(C)
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search for the one which went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine which never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
The Brother Who Sins(D)
15 “Now if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, then take with you one or two others, that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word may be established.[a] 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are assembled in My name, there I am in their midst.”
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle the accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[b] 25 But since he was not able to pay, his master ordered that he be sold with his wife, their children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 “So the servant fell on his knees, pleading with him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[c] He laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe.’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and entreated him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
30 “But he would not and went and threw him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what took place, they were very sorry and went and told their master all that had taken place.
32 “Then his master, after he had summoned him, said to him, ‘O you wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you?’ 34 His master was angry and delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt.
35 “So also My heavenly Father will do to each of you, if from your heart you do not forgive your brother for his trespasses.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 18:16 Dt 19:15.
- Matthew 18:24 Several million pounds.
- Matthew 18:28 A few pounds.
Matthew 18
21st Century King James Version
18 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2 And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 and said, “Verily I say unto you, unless ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in My name, receiveth Me.
6 But whoso shall cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to fall, it were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must happen that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.
8 Therefore if thy hand or thy foot cause thee to fall, cut them off and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye cause thee to fall, pluck it out and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
10 “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father who is in Heaven.
11 “For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.
12 How think ye? If a man have a hundred sheep and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if it so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more over that sheep than over the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15 “Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that ‘in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and so whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.
19 “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth concerning anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
22 And Jesus said unto him, “I say not unto thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
23 “Therefore is the Kingdom of Heaven likened unto a certain king who would settle accounts with his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But inasmuch as he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down and did homage to him, saying,‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred pence. And he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what thou owest.’
29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’
30 And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me.
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?’
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother’s trespasses.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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