|
| 18 | Matthew |
|
| 1 |
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?' | The Greatest in the Kingdom Mt.18.1-5 (Capernaum) -[ Mt.18.1-5 → ] - Mk.9.33-37, Lk.9.46-48 |
| 2 |
He called a child, set him in front of them, | |
| 3 |
and said, 'I tell you this: unless you turn round and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. | |
| 4 |
Let a man humble himself till he is like this child, and he will be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. | |
| 5 |
Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me. | Temptations to Sin Mt.18.5-9 (Capernaum) -[ Mt.18.5-9 → ] - Mk.9.42-48, Lk.17.1-2 |
| 6 |
But if a man is a cause of stumbling to one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. | |
| 7 |
Alas for the world that such causes of stumbling arise! Come they must, but woe betide the man through whom they come!
| |
| 8 |
'If your hand or your foot is your undoing, cut it off and fling it away; it is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame, than to keep two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. | |
| 9 |
If it is your eye that is your undoing, tear it out and fling it away; it is better to enter into life with one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into the fires of hell.
| |
| 10 |
'Never despise one of these little ones; I tell you, they have their guardian angels in heaven, who look continually on the face of my heavenly Father. | The Parable of the Lost Sheep Mt.18.10-14 (Capernaum) -[ Mt.18.10-14 → ] - Lk.15.3-7 |
| 11 |
| |
| 12 |
'What do you think? Suppose a man has a hundred sheep. If one of them strays, does he not leave the other ninety-nine on the hill-side and go in search of the one that strayed? | |
| 13 |
And if he should find it, I tell you this: he is more delighted over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that never strayed. | |
| 14 |
In the same way, it is not your heavenly Father's will that one of these little ones should be lost.
| |
| 15 |
'If your brother commits a sin, go and take the matter up with him, strictly between yourselves, and if he listens to you, you have won your brother over. | A Brother who Sins Mt.18.15-20 (Capernaum) -[ Mt.18.15-20 → ] - Lk.17.3 |
| 16 |
If he will not listen, take one or two others with you, so that all facts may be duly established on the evidence of two or three witnesses. | - confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses Mt.18.16 - Dt.19.15 |
| 17 |
If he refuses to listen to them, report the matter to the congregation; and if he will not listen even to the congregation, you must then treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-gatherer. | |
| 18 |
'I tell you this: whatever you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven. | |
| 19 |
'Again I tell you this: if two of you agree on earth about any request you have to make, that request will be granted by my heavenly Father. | |
| 20 |
For where two or three have met together in my name, I am there among them.'
| |
| 21 |
Then Peter came up and asked him, 'Lord, how often am I to forgive my brother if he goes on wronging me? As many as seven times?' | The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Mt.18.21-35 (Capernaum) - |
| 22 |
Jesus replied, 'I do not say seven times; I say seventy times seven.
| |
| 23 |
'The kingdom of Heaven, therefore, should be thought of in this way: There was once a king who decided to settle accounts with the men who served him. | |
| 24 |
At the outset there appeared before him a man whose debt ran into millions. | |
| 25 |
Since he had no means of paying, his master ordered him to be sold to meet the debt, with his wife, his children, and everything he had. | |
| 26 |
The man fell prostrate at his master's feet. "Be patient with me," he said, "and I will pay in full"; | |
| 27 |
and the master was so moved with pity that he let the man go and remitted the debt. | |
| 28 |
But no sooner had the man gone out than he met a fellow-servant who owed him a few pounds; and catching hold of him he gripped him by the throat and said, "Pay me what you owe." | |
| 29 |
The man fell at his fellow-servant's feet, and begged him, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you"; | |
| 30 |
but he refused, and had him jailed until he should pay the debt. | |
| 31 |
The other servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and told him the whole story. | |
| 32 |
He accordingly sent for the man. "You scoundrel!" he said to him, | |
| 33 |
"I remitted the whole of your debt when you appealed to me; were you not bound to show your fellow-servant the same pity as I showed to you?" | |
| 34 |
And so angry was the master that he condemned the man to torture until he should pay the debt in full. | |
| 35 |
And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts.'
| |
| |
|
<< | Mt:18 | >> |
|