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18 At en that ekeinos · ho time hōra the ho disciples mathētēs came proserchomai to ho Jesus Iēsous, saying legō, “ Who tis then ara is eimi the greatest megas in en the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos?” · kai Jesus invited proskaleō a child paidion to come to him, and placing histēmi him autos in en their autos midst mesos, · kai said legō, “ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, unless ean mē you change strephō and kai become ginomai like hōs · ho children paidion, you will never ou mē enter eiserchomai the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos! For oun whoever hostis humbles tapeinoō himself heautou as hōs · ho this houtos child paidion is eimi · ho greatest megas in en the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos. And kai whoever hos ean welcomes dechomai a heis child paidion like toioutos this in epi · ho my egō name onoma welcomes dechomai me egō. But de whoever hos causes skandalizō one heis of ho these houtos little mikros ones who ho believe pisteuō in eis me egō to sin, it would be better sympherō for him autos to hina have a large onikos millstone mylos hung kremannymi around peri · ho his autos neck trachēlos and kai be drowned katapontizō far out pelagos at en · ho · ho sea thalassa. Woe ouai to the ho world kosmos because apo of the ho things that cause people to sin skandalon! It is inevitable anankē that such ho things skandalon come erchomai, but plēn woe ouai to the ho one anthrōpos through dia whom hos they ho skandalon come erchomai!

If ei · de · ho your sy hand cheir or ē · ho your sy foot pous causes skandalizō you sy to sin, cut ekkoptō it autos off and kai throw ballō it away apo sy; it is eimi better kalos for you sy to enter eiserchomai · ho life zōē crippled kyllos or ē lame chōlos than ē with echō two dyo hands cheir or ē two dyo feet pous to be thrown ballō into eis · ho eternal aiōnios fire pyr. · ho And kai if ei · ho your sy eye ophthalmos causes skandalizō you sy to sin, gouge exaireō it autos out and kai throw ballō it away apo sy; it is eimi better kalos for you sy to enter eiserchomai life zōē with one monophthalmos eye · ho than ē with echō two dyo eyes ophthalmos to be thrown ballō into eis the ho hell geenna of ho fire pyr.

10  See horaō that you do not despise kataphroneō one heis of ho these houtos little mikros ones . For gar I tell legō you hymeis that hoti · ho their autos angels angelos in en heaven ouranos always dia pas see blepō the ho face prosōpon of ho my egō Father patēr who ho is in en heaven ouranos. 12 What tis do you hymeis think dokeō? If ean a tis man anthrōpos has ginomai a hundred hekaton sheep probaton and kai one heis of ek them autos goes planaō astray , will he not ouchi leave aphiēmi the ho ninety-nine enenēkonta ennea on epi the ho slopes oros and kai go poreuō in search zēteō of the ho one planaō that has wandered off ? 13 And kai if ean he finds ginomai it autos, I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, he will rejoice chairō over epi it autos more mallon than ē over epi the ho ninety-nine enenēkonta ennea that ho did not go planaō astray . 14 In the same houtōs way , it is eimi not ou the will thelēma of ho your hymeis Father patēr · ho in en heaven ouranos that hina even one heis of ho these houtos little ones mikros should perish apollymi.

15  If ean · de your sy brother adelphos sins hamartanō, · ho go hypagō and point elenchō out his autos fault between metaxy you sy and kai him autos alone monos. If ean he listens to akouō you sy, you have won kerdainō back · ho your sy brother adelphos. 16 But de if ean he does not listen akouō, take paralambanō one heis or ē two dyo others eti with meta you sy so hina that every pas matter rhēma may be confirmed histēmi on epi the evidence stoma of two dyo or ē three treis witnesses martys. 17 If ean · de he refuses parakouō to listen to them autos, tell legō it to the ho church ekklēsia; and de if ean he refuses to listen parakouō even kai to parakouō the ho church ekklēsia, you sy are to treat eimi him as hōsper a ho pagan ethnikos and kai a ho tax telōnēs collector .

18  I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, whatever hosos ean you bind deō on epi · ho earth will eimi have been bound deō in en heaven ouranos, and kai whatever hosos ean you loose lyō on epi · ho earth will eimi have been loosed lyō in en heaven ouranos. 19  Again palin, I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, if ean two dyo of ek you hymeis on epi earth are in agreement symphōneō · ho about peri anything pas pragma whatever hos ean you may ask aiteō, it will be done ginomai for you autos by para · ho my egō Father patēr who ho is in en heaven ouranos. 20 For gar where hou two dyo or ē three treis are eimi gathered synagō in eis · ho my emos name onoma, I am eimi there ekei in en their autos midst mesos.”

21 Then tote Peter Petros came proserchomai to · ho Jesus autos and said legō, “ Lord kyrios, how posakis often must I forgive aphiēmi my egō brother adelphos when he sins hamartanō against eis me egō? · ho · kai Up heōs to seven heptakis times ?” 22 Jesus Iēsous said legō to him autos, · ho I do not ou say legō to you sy, up heōs to seven heptakis times , but alla up heōs to seventy hebdomēkontakis times seven hepta. 23 Therefore dia houtos the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos is like homoioō a king basileus who hos decided thelō to settle synairō accounts logos with meta · ho his autos servants. 24 And de when he autos had begun archō to settle synairō them, a man heis who owed opheiletēs ten thousand myrios talents talanton was brought prospherō to him autos. 25 And de since he autos did not have echō the means to repay apodidōmi the debt, his ho master kyrios commanded keleuō that he autos be sold pipraskō along kai with his ho wife gynē and kai · ho children teknon and kai everything pas hosos he had echō, and kai that payment apodidōmi be made . 26 So oun the ho servant fell piptō to the ground prostate proskyneō before him autos, saying legō, ‘ Have makrothumeō patience with epi me egō, and kai I will repay apodidōmi you sy everything pas.’ 27 Moved splanchnizomai with compassion , · de the ho master kyrios of ho that ekeinos servant released apolyō him autos and kai forgave aphiēmi him autos the ho debt daneion. 28 But de that ho same ekeinos servant then went out exerchomai and found heuriskō one heis of ho his autos fellow syndoulos servants who hos owed opheilō him autos a hundred hekaton denarii dēnarion; and kai seizing krateō him autos by the throat began to choke pnigō him, saying legō, ‘ Pay apodidōmi back what ei tis you owe opheilō.’ 29 Therefore oun his autos fellow servant syndoulos fell piptō to the ground · ho and pleaded parakaleō with him autos, saying legō Have makrothumeō patience with epi me egō, and kai I will repay apodidōmi you sy.’ 30 But de he ho refused ou thelō. Instead alla, he went aperchomai and threw ballō him autos in eis prison phylakē until heōs he should pay apodidōmi back the ho debt opheilō. 31 So oun when his autos fellow servants syndoulos saw · ho what ho had happened ginomai, they became indignant lypeō and kai went erchomai and told diasapheō · ho their heautou master kyrios all pas that ho had taken place ginomai. 32 Then tote his autos master kyrios called proskaleō him autos in · ho and said legō to him autos, ‘You wicked ponēros servant! I forgave aphiēmi you sy all pas · ho that ekeinos debt opheilē because epei you pleaded parakaleō with me egō. 33 And should dei not ou you sy also kai have had mercy eleeō on · ho your sy fellow syndoulos servant , even as hōs I kagō had mercy on eleeō you sy?’ 34 And kai in anger orgizō · ho his autos master kyrios handed paradidōmi him autos over to the ho prison basanistēs guards to torture him until heōs hos he should pay apodidōmi back all pas · ho he owed opheilō. 35 So houtōs also kai will · ho my egō heavenly ouranios Father patēr · ho do poieō to you hymeis, unless ean mē you each hekastos forgive aphiēmi · ho your autos brother adelphos from apo · ho your hymeis heart kardia.”

Rank in the Kingdom

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”(A) He called a little child and set him before them, and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever [a]humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives and welcomes one [b]child like this in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.(B)

Stumbling Blocks

“Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!(C)

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

10 “See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven.(D) 11 [c][For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

Ninety-nine Plus One

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?(E) 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones be lost.

Discipline and Prayer

15 “If your brother sins[d], go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the [e]church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector.(F) 18 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth [f]shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth [g]shall have [already] been loosed in heaven.(G)

19 “Again I say to you, that if two [h]believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.(H) 20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”(I)

Forgiveness

21 Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the accounting, one who owed him 10,000 [i]talents was brought to him. 25 But because he could not repay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And his master’s heart was moved with compassion and he released him and forgave him [canceling] the debt. 28 But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him [j]a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow slave fell on his knees and begged him earnestly, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling and he went and had him thrown in prison until he paid back the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and they went and reported to their master [with clarity and in detail] everything that had taken place. 32 Then his master called him and said to him, ‘You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave [who owed you little by comparison], as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (jailers) until he paid all that he owed. 35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to [every one of] you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:4 I.e. turns his back on self-righteous pride and adopts a realistic self-view.
  2. Matthew 18:5 I.e. new, childlike believer.
  3. Matthew 18:11 Early mss do not contain this verse.
  4. Matthew 18:15 Late mss add against you.
  5. Matthew 18:17 Gr ecclasia, the word means a gathering and may be translated congregation, assembly, or church.
  6. Matthew 18:18 Gr estai lelumenon, future perfect passive.
  7. Matthew 18:18 Gr estai lelumenon, future perfect passive.
  8. Matthew 18:19 Lit of you.
  9. Matthew 18:24 A talent was a measurement of weight, usually 58-80 pounds. One talent of silver was worth more than 15 years’ wages. One talent of gold was worth even more. 10,000 talents would be an inconceivable amount of debt for a slave in the king’s service to repay.
  10. Matthew 18:28 About 100 days’ wages for a laborer.