Chapter 18
1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus , saying , " Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven ?"
2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them
3 and said , "Most certainly I tell you , unless you turn and become as little children , you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven .
4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven .
5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me ,
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble , it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea .
7 " Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling ! For it must be that the occasions come , but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes !
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble , cut it off and cast it from you . It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled , rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire .
9 If your eye causes you to stumble , pluck it out and cast it from you . It is better for you to enter into life with one eye , rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire .
10 See that you don’ t despise one of these little ones , for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven .
11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
12 " What do you think ? If a man has one hundred sheep , and one of them goes astray , doesn’ t he leave the ninety-nine , go to the mountains , and seek that which has gone astray ?
13 If he finds it , most certainly I tell you , he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone 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 " If your brother sins against you , go , show him his fault between you and him alone . If he listens to you , you have gained back your brother.
16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you , that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established .
17 If he refuses to listen to them , tell it to the assembly . If he refuses to hear the assembly also , let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector .
18 Most certainly I tell you , whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven , and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven .
19 Again , assuredly I tell you , that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask , it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven .
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name , there I am in the middle of them ."
21 Then Peter came and said to him , " Lord , how often shall my brother sin against me , and I forgive him ? Until seven times ?"
22 Jesus said to him , " I don’ t tell you until seven times , but , until 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 had begun to settle , one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents .
25 But because he couldn’ t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold , with his wife , his children , and all that he had , and payment to be made .
26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him , saying , ‘ Lord , have patience with me , and I will repay you all !’
27 The lord of that servant , being moved with compassion , released him and forgave him the debt .
28 " But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii , and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying , ‘Pay me what you owe !’
29 " So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him , saying , ‘ Have patience with me , and I will repay you !’
30 He would not , but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due .
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done , they were exceedingly sorry , and came and told their lord all that was done .
32 Then his lord called him in and said to him , ‘ You wicked servant ! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me .
33 Shouldn’ t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant , even as I had mercy on you ?’
34 His lord was angry , and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him .
35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you , if you don’ t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."