Matthew 18:12-35

12“What do you think? 1If 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 2of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

15“3If your brother sins4, go and 5show him his fault 6in 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 7by the mouth of two or three witnesses every 8fact may be confirmed. 17If he refuses to listen to them, 9tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, 10let him be to you as 11a Gentile and 12a tax collector. 18Truly I say to you, 13whatever you 14bind on earth 15shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you 16loose on earth 17shall 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, 18it shall be done for them 19by My Father who is in heaven. 20For where two or three have gathered together in My name, 20I am there in their midst.”

21Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, 21how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to 22seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to 23seventy times seven.

23“For this reason 24the kingdom of heaven 25may be compared to a king who wished to 26settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him 27ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25But since he 2829did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him 30to 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 31prostrated 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 32forgave him the 33debt. 28But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred 34denarii; 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 35and 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. 3336Should 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. 3537My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from 38your heart.”