Matthew 18 - New American Standard Bible 1995 with Strong Numbers

Rank in the Kingdom

¹ At that timethe disciplescameto Jesusand said,"Whothenis greatestin the kingdomof heaven?"

² And He calleda childto Himself and sethim beforethem,

³ and said,"TrulyI sayto you, unlessyou are convertedand becomelikechildren,you will not enterthe kingdomof heaven.

⁴ "Whoeverthenhumbleshimselfas thischild,he is the greatestin the kingdomof heaven.

⁵ "And whoeverreceivesonesuchchildin My namereceivesMe;

⁶ but whoevercausesoneof theselittle oneswho believein Me to stumble,it would be betterfor him to have a heavymillstonehungaroundhis neck,and to be drownedin the depthof the sea.

Stumbling Blocks

⁷ "Woeto the worldbecauseof [its] stumblingblocks!For it is inevitablethat stumbling blockscome;but woeto that manthroughwhomthe stumbling blockcomes!

⁸ "Ifyour handoryour footcauses you to stumble,cut it offand throwit from you; it is betterfor you to enterlifecrippledorlame,thanto havetwohandsortwofeetand be castinto the eternalfire.

⁹ "Ifyour eyecauses you to stumble,pluckit out and throwit from you. It is betterfor you to enterlifewith one eye,thanto havetwoeyesand be castinto the fieryhell.

¹⁰ "Seethat you do not despiseoneof theselittle ones,for I sayto you that their angelsin heavencontinuallyseethe faceof My Fatherwho is in heaven.

¹¹ ["For the Sonof Manhas cometo savethat which was lost].

Ninety-nine Plus One

¹² "Whatdo you think?Ifanymanhasa hundredsheep,and oneof them has goneastray,does he not leavethe ninety-nineon the mountainsand goand searchfor the one that is straying?

¹³ "Ifit turnsout that he findsit, trulyI sayto you, he rejoicesoverit morethanoverthe ninety-ninewhich have not gone astray.

¹⁴ "Soit is not [the] willof your Fatherwho is in heaventhat oneof theselittle onesperish.

Discipline and Prayer

¹⁵ "Ifyour brothersins, goand show him his faultin private;ifhe listensto you, you have wonyour brother.

¹⁶ "But ifhe does not listen[to you], takeoneortwomorewith you, sothat BY THE MOUTHOF TWOORTHREEWITNESSESEVERYFACTMAY BE CONFIRMED.

¹⁷ "Ifhe refusesto listento them, tellit to the church;and ifhe refuses to listenevento the church,let him be to you as a Gentileand a tax collector.

¹⁸ "TrulyI sayto you, whateveryou bindon earthshall have been boundin heaven;and whateveryou looseon earthshall have been loosedin heaven.

¹⁹ "AgainI sayto you, that iftwoof you agreeon earthaboutanythingthat they may ask,it shall be donefor them by My Fatherwho is in heaven.

²⁰ "For wheretwoorthreehave gathered togetherin My name,I amtherein their midst."

Forgiveness

²¹ ThenPetercameand saidto Him, "Lord,how oftenshall my brothersinagainstme and I forgivehim? Up to seven times?"

²² Jesussaidto him, "I do not sayto you, up to seven times,but up to seventy timesseven.

²³ "For thisreasonthe kingdomof heavenmay be comparedto a kingwhowishedto settleaccountswith his slaves.

²⁴ "When he had begunto settle[them], onewho owedhim ten thousandtalentswas broughtto him.

²⁵ "But since he did not have[the means] to repay,his lordcommandedhim to be sold,alongwith his wifeand childrenand allthat he had,and repayment to be made.

²⁶ "Sothe slavefell[to the ground] and prostrated himself beforehim, saying,'Have patiencewith me and I will repayyou everything.'

²⁷ "And the lordof that slavefelt compassionand releasedhim and forgavehim the debt.

²⁸ "But that slavewentout and foundoneof his fellow slaveswhoowedhim a hundreddenarii;and he seizedhim and [began] to choke[him], saying,'Pay backwhatyou owe.'

²⁹ "Sohis fellow slavefell[to the ground] and [began] to pleadwith him, saying,'Have patiencewith me and I will repayyou.'

³⁰ "But he was unwillingand wentand threwhim in prisonuntilhe should pay backwhatwas owed.

³¹ "Sowhen his fellow slavessawwhathad happened,they were deeplygrievedand cameand reportedto their lordallthat had happened.

³² "Thensummoninghim, his lordsaidto him, 'You wickedslave,I forgaveyou allthat debtbecauseyou pleadedwith me.

³³ Shouldyou not alsohave hadmercyon your fellow slave,in the same waythat I had mercyon you?'

³⁴ "And his lord,moved with anger,handed him overto the torturersuntilhe should repayallthat was owedhim.

³⁵ "My heavenlyFatherwill alsodothe sameto you, ifeachof you does not forgivehis brotherfrom your heart."