Matthew 18
18
Who Is the Most Important Person in the Kingdom?
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus. They asked him, “Then who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child over to him. He had the child stand among them. 3Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Anyone who takes the humble position of this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven. 5Anyone who welcomes a little child like this one in my name welcomes me.
Do Not Cause People to Sin
6“What if someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If they do, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for the person who causes them! 8If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one hand than go into hell with two hands. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one foot than go into hell with two feet. In hell the fire burns forever. 9If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Story of the Wandering Sheep
10-11“See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven are always with my Father who is in heaven.
12“What do you think? Suppose a man owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders away. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep on the hills? Won’t he go and look for the one that wandered off? 13What I’m about to tell you is true. If he finds that sheep, he is happier about the one than about the 99 that didn’t wander off. 14It is the same with your Father in heaven. He does not want any of these little ones to die.
When Someone Sins Against You
15“If your brother or sister sins against you, go to them. Tell them what they did wrong. Keep it between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them back. 16But what if they won’t listen to you? Then take one or two others with you. Scripture says, ‘Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.’ (Deuteronomy 19:15) 17But what if they also refuse to listen to the witnesses? Then tell it to the church. And what if they refuse to listen even to the church? Then don’t treat them as a brother or sister. Treat them as you would treat an ungodly person or a tax collector.
18“What I’m about to tell you is true. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.
19“Again, here is what I tell you. Suppose two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for. My Father in heaven will do it for you. 20Where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.”
The Servant Who Had No Mercy
21Peter came to Jesus. He asked, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.
23“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to collect all the money his servants owed him. 24As the king began to do it, a man who owed him 10,000 bags of gold was brought to him. 25The man was not able to pay. So his master gave an order. The man, his wife, his children, and all he owned had to be sold to pay back what he owed.
26“Then the servant fell on his knees in front of him. ‘Give me time,’ he begged. ‘I’ll pay everything back.’ 27His master felt sorry for him. He forgave him what he owed and let him go.
28“But then that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him 100 silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he said.
29“The other servant fell on his knees. ‘Give me time,’ he begged him. ‘I’ll pay it back.’
30“But the first servant refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison. The man would be held there until he could pay back what he owed. 31The other servants saw what had happened and were very angry. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
32“Then the master called the first servant in. ‘You evil servant,’ he said. ‘I forgave all that you owed me because you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on the other servant just as I had mercy on you?’ 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers. He would be punished until he paid back everything he owed.
35“This is how my Father in heaven will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
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Matthew 18: NIrV
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Mattityahu (Mat) 18
18
1At that moment the talmidim came to Yeshua and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2He called a child to him, stood him among them, 3and said, “Yes! I tell you that unless you change and become like little children, you won’t even enter the Kingdom of Heaven! 4So the greatest in the Kingdom is whoever makes himself as humble as this child. 5Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me; 6and whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea! 7Woe to the world because of snares! For there must be snares, but woe to the person who sets the snare!
8“So if your hand or foot becomes a snare for you, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should be maimed or crippled and obtain eternal life than keep both hands or both feet and be thrown into everlasting fire! 9And if your eye is a snare for you, gouge it out and fling it away! Better that you should be one-eyed and obtain eternal life than keep both eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gei-Hinnom. 10See that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually seeing the face of my Father in heaven. 11
12“What’s your opinion? What will somebody do who has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillsides and go off to find the stray? 13And if he happens to find it? Yes! I tell you he is happier over it than over the ninety-nine that never strayed! 14Thus your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to be lost.
15“Moreover, if your brother commits a sin against you, go and show him his fault — but privately, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16If he doesn’t listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation can be supported by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to hear them, tell the congregation; and if he refuses to listen even to the congregation, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-collector. 18Yes! I tell you people that whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. 19To repeat, I tell you that if two of you here on earth agree about anything people ask, it will be for them from my Father in heaven. 20For wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am there with them.”
21Then Kefa came up and said to him, “Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22“No, not seven times,” answered Yeshua, “but seventy times seven! 23Because of this, the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared with a king who decided to settle accounts with his deputies. 24Right away they brought forward a man who owed him many millions; 25and since he couldn’t pay, his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold to pay the debt. 26But the servant fell down before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27So out of pity for him, the master let him go and forgave the debt.
28“But as that servant was leaving, he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him some tiny sum. He grabbed him and began to choke him, crying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 29His fellow servant fell before him and begged, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30But he refused; instead, he had him thrown in jail until he should repay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed; and they went and told their master everything that had taken place. 32Then the master summoned his servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt just because you begged me to do it. 33Shouldn’t you have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers for punishment until he paid back everything he owed. 35This is how my heavenly Father will treat you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts.”
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