Matthew 18

Rank in the Kingdom

11At that 2time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “3Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And He called a child to Himself and set him 4before them, 3and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you 5are converted and 6become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6but 7whoever 8causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it 9would be better for him to have a 10heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Stumbling Blocks

7“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For 11it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

8“12If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than 13to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. 914If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than 15to have two eyes and be cast into the 1617fiery hell.

10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that 18their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11[1920For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

Ninety-nine Plus One

12“What do you think? 21If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14So it is not the will 22of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

Discipline and Prayer

15“23If your brother sins24, go and 25show him his fault 26in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that 27by the mouth of two or three witnesses every 28fact may be confirmed. 17If he refuses to listen to them, 29tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, 30let him be to you as 31a Gentile and 32a tax collector. 18Truly I say to you, 33whatever you 34bind on earth 35shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you 36loose on earth 37shall have been loosed in heaven.

19“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, 38it shall be done for them 39by My Father who is in heaven. 20For where two or three have gathered together in My name, 40I am there in their midst.”

Forgiveness

21Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, 41how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to 42seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to 43seventy times seven.

23“For this reason 44the kingdom of heaven 45may be compared to a king who wished to 46settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him 47ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25But since he 4849did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him 50to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26So the slave fell to the ground and 51prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and 52forgave him the 53debt. 28But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred 54denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30But he was unwilling 55and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 3356Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 3557My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from 58your heart.”