Mat 18 | LSB | STEP | At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

‏ Matthew 18

Who Is Greatest in Heaven?

1 At that ^{▼▼Lit hour}time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him ^{▼▼Lit in their midst}before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you ^{▼▼Lit are turned}are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever therefore will humble himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a ^{▼▼Lit millstone turned by a donkey}heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Stumbling Blocks

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

8 “And 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 crippled or lame, than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into the ^{▼▼Lit Gehenna of fire}fiery hell.

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 ^{▼▼Early mss omit this v}[For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

12 “What do you think? If any man has one 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? 13 And if 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. 14 In this way, it is not the will ^{▼▼Lit before}of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

If Your Brother Sins

15 “Now if your brother sins ^{▼▼ Later mss add against you} , go and ^{▼▼ Or reprove him,} show him his fault, between you and him alone; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every ^{▼▼Lit word}fact may be confirmed. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you ^{▼▼Or forbid}bind on earth ^{▼▼Gr fut. pft. pass.}shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you ^{▼▼Or permit}loose on earth ^{▼▼Gr fut. pft. pass.}shall 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, it shall be done for them ^{▼▼ Lit from} by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Forgiveness

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

23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven ^{▼▼ Lit was compared to} may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand ^{▼▼A talent was approx. worth more than 15 years of a laborer’s wages}talents was brought to him. 25 But since he ^{▼▼Or was unable to}did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 Therefore, the slave fell to the ground and was prostrating himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And feeling compassion, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the ^{▼▼Or loan}debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred ^{▼▼A Roman silver coin, approx. a laborer’s daily wage}denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 So, his fellow slave fell to the ground and was pleading with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling ^{▼▼Lit but}and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 So, when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.”