Matthew 18

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2And calling a child to himself, he placed him among them.

3And he said, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

6But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it is better for him that a donkey millstone be hung around his neck and that he be drowned in the open sea.

7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks; for it is necessary that the stumbling blocks come, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes.

8And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the eternal fire.

9And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.

10See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

11For the Son of Man came to save the lost.

12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and seek the one going astray?

13And if he happens to find it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.

14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that even one of these little ones should perish.

15But if your brother sins against you, go and reprove him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

16But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.

17But if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. And if he also refuses to listen to the assembly, let him be to you like a Gentile and a tax collector.

18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.

19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about any matter they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.

21Then Peter came up to him and said, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22Jesus says to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24And when he began to settle accounts, one debtor who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25But since he was unable to repay, the master ordered that he be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.

26So the servant fell down and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’

27Then the master of that servant, moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began choking him, saying, ‘Pay back whatever you owe.’

29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’

30But he was not willing; instead, he went away and threw him into prison until he should pay what was owed.

31Therefore, when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved, and they came and reported to their lord everything that had happened.

32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.’

33Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I also had mercy on you?

34And in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay all that was owed.

35So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from the heart.