Matthew 18
Contents
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Jesus invited a little child to come toward him and placed the child among them, 3 and he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles themselves as this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever accepts one such child in my name accepts me. 6 If anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Offend Not, Remove Things That Cause Offense (18:7–10)
7 “Woe to the world because of offenses! Offenses must happen, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If 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 maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
The Parable of the Lost Sheep (18:11–14)
11† Indeed, the Son of Man is come to save the lost one. 12 “What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that any of these little ones should perish.”
Dealing with Those Who Offend (18:15–20)
15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over, 16 but if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything for which they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather together in my name, I am among them.”
The Parable of the Forgiven but Unforgiving Servant (18:21–35)
21 Then Peter approached Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times will I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered to him, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven. 23 The kingdom of heaven is comparable to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants, 24 and when he began the settlement, one of them who was accountable for ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to deliver what he owed, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to cover the obligation. 26 The servant fell down and bowed down before the king and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, let him go and canceled the obligation for him. 28 However, after that servant left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and choked him and demanded that he pay back what he owed! 29 His fellow servant fell to his knees and appealed to him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back,’ 30 but he refused the plea. Instead, he threw his fellow servant into prison until he paid back the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and declared to their master everything that had happened. 32 The king summoned the servant, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I canceled all that debt of yours because you asked me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 In anger, his master handed him over to the torturing jailers, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 This is how my Heavenly Father will treat you unless each of you forgives your brother or sister from your heart.”
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