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.”
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