Mat 18 | Mont | STEP | At that hour his disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Who is really greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

‏ Matthew 18

1 At that hour his disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Who is really greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 When he had called a little child to him, Jesus set him among them, and answered. 3 "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will not even enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Whoever therefore will humble himself like this little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven; 5 "and whoever receives one such child for my sake, receives me. 6 "But whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung about his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 "Woe unto the world because of such stumbling-blocks! They will surely come, but woe unto each man by whom they come! 8 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, than to keep both hands or both feet and be cast into the everlasting burning. 9 "If your eye keeps causing you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with only one eye, than to keep both eyes and be cast into the Gehenna of fire. 10 "See to it that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father in heaven. 11 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. 12 "How does it seem to you, when a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them? Will he not leave the ninety and nine on the hills, to go and search for the one that has strayed? 13 "And if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you solemnly that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety and nine that never strayed away. 14 "Just so it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him, between yourself and him alone. If he listens, you have won your brother. 16 "But if he will not listen to you, take one or two others along, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he will not listen to them, tell the church; 17 "but if he will not heed the church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax-gatherer. 18 "I tell you all in solemn truth that whatever you forbid upon earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. 19 "And again I tell you that if two of you on earth symphonize your praying concerning anything for which you have asked, it shall be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 "For wherever there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I among them."

21 Just then Peter came to him, and asked him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?" 22 "I do not tell you ‘till seven times,’"answered Jesus, "but till seventy times seven. 23 "Thus the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 "But when he began to settle, one of them was brought before him who owed him fifteen million dollars. 25 "And since he was unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, toward the payment of the debt. 26 "Thereupon his slave threw himself on his knees before him, crying, "‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all!’ 27 "So then the master pitied his slave, and let him go, and forgave him his debt. 28 "But on his way out, that slave met a fellow slave who owed him fifty dollars. Seizing him by the throat, and nearly choking him, he exclaimed, "‘Pay me what you owe me!’ 29 "Then his fellow slave fell at his feet, and besought him, saying, "‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 "But he would not; on the contrary he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. 31 "When therefore his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very angry; and they went and explained to their master all that had happened. 32 "Immediately his master summoned him and said. "‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me. 33 "‘Ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow slave, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 "Then in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, until he should pay him all his debt. 35 "So will my heavenly Father do to you also, unless from your heart each one of you forgive his brother."