Matthew 18:12-35

12“What do you think? 1If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? 13And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. 14So it is not the will 2of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.

15“Now 3if your brother sins4, go and 5show him his fault 6in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that 7on the 8testimony of two or three witnesses every 9matter may be confirmed. 17And if he refuses to listen to them, 10tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, 11he is to be to you as 12a Gentile and 13a tax collector. 18Truly I say to you, 14whatever you 15bind on earth 16shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you 17loose on earth 18shall 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, 19it shall be done for them 20by My Father who is in heaven. 20For where two or three have gathered together in My name, 21I am there in their midst.”

21Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, 22how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to 23seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to 2425seventy-seven times.

23“For this reason 26the kingdom of heaven 27is like a king who wanted to 28settle accounts with his slaves. 24And when he had begun to settle them, one who owed him 29ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25But since he 3031did not have the means to repay, his master commanded that he 32be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment be made. 26So the slave fell to the ground and 33prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27And the master of that slave felt compassion, and he released him and 34forgave him the 35debt. 28But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred 36denarii; 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, 37and went and threw him in prison until he would pay back what was owed. 31So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their master all that had happened. 32Then summoning him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 3338Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the 39torturers until he would repay all that was owed him. 3540My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your 41heart.”