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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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Matthew 18
18
Matthew 18
1¶ At the same time the disciples came unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?
2And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them
3and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.
5And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.
6But whosoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to fall, it would be better for him that a millstone such as is turned by an ass be hanged about his neck and that he be sunk in the depth of the sea.
7¶ Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
8Therefore 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 eternal fire.
9And if thine eye causes 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 the hell of fire.
10Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in the heavens their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens.
11For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12What do you think? If a man had a hundred sheep and one of them went astray, would he not leave the ninety-nine and go into the mountains and seek that which is gone astray?
13And if so be that he finds it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more of that one than of the ninety-nine who did not go astray.
14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should perish.
15¶ Therefore if thy brother shall sin against thee, go and reprove him between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16But 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.
17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the congregation; {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} but if he neglects to hear the congregation, {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} let him be unto thee as a worldly man and a publican.
18Verily I say unto you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in the heaven; and whatever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in the heaven.
19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in the heavens.
20For 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?
22Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven.
23Therefore is the kingdom of the heavens likened unto a man who is king who would take account of his slaves.
24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25But he not having wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, to make payment.
26The slave therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27Then the lord of that slave was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt.
28But as the same slave was leaving, he found one of his fellowslaves who owed him a hundred denarius, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.
29And his fellowslave fell down at his feet and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30And he would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay the debt.
31So when his fellowslaves saw what was done, they were very grieved and came and declared unto their lord all that was done.
32Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked slave, I forgave thee all that debt because thou didst beseech me;
33was it not also expedient unto thee to have mercy on thy fellowslave even as I had mercy on thee?
34And his lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due unto him.
35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you unless from your hearts ye forgive every one his brother their trespasses.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International