Who Is the Greatest?
1At that time18:1 Lit hour18:1–5 Mk 9:33–37; Lk 9:46–48 the disciples18:1 Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1 came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 18:1 Mt 22:24; Jn 3:35; 13:20
2He called a small child and had him stand among them.
3“Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children,18:3 Mt 19:14; Mk 10:15; Lk 18:17; 1Co 14:20; 1Pt 2:2 you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.18:3 Mt 5:20; 7:21; 19:23–24; Mk 9:47; Jn 3:5
4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child — this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
6
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away — it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.
18:6
Mk 9:42; Lk 17:2; 1Co 8:12
7Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes.18:7 Mt 26:24; Lk 17:1; 1Co 11:19
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10
“See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones,
18:10
Est 1:14; Lk 1:19; Rv 8:2
because I tell you that in heaven their angels18:10 Ps 34:7; 91:11; Heb 1:14 continually view the face of my Father in heaven.18:10 Some mss include v. 11: For the Son of Man has come to save the lost.18:10 Mt 6:29; 25:40,45; Lk 15:7,10
12What do you think?18:12–14 Lk 15:1–7 If someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray?18:12 Mt 17:25; 21:28
13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over that sheep18:13 Lit over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
Restoring a Brother
15
“If your brother sins against you,
18:15
Other mss omit against you
go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.18:15 Lv 19:17; Lk 17:3; Gl 6:1; 2Th 3:15; Jms 5:19; 1Pt 3:1
16But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony18:16 Lit mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.18:16 Dt 19:1518:16 Nm 35:30; Jn 8:17; 2Co 13:1; 1Tm 5:19; Heb 10:28
17If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church.18:17 Or congregation18:17 Mt 16:18; 1Co 14:4; Rv 1:4 If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you.18:17 Rm 16:17; 1Co 5:9; 6:1–6; 2Th 3:6,14; 2Jn 10
18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound18:18 Or earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed18:18 Or earth will be loosed in heaven.18:18 Mt 16:19; Jn 20:23
19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you18:19 Lit they pray for, it will be done for you18:19 Lit for them by my Father in heaven.
20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
22
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.18:22 Or but seventy-seven times
23
“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents18:24 A talent is worth about 6,000 denarii, or twenty years’ wages for a laborer was brought before him.
26
“At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.’
27Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.
29
“At this, his fellow servant fell down
18:29
Other mss add at his feet
and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
30But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed.
31When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened.
32Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 18:33 Mt 6:12; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13; 1Jn 4:11
34And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed.
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