17 1 HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, 'Causes of stumbling are bound to arise; but woe betide the man through whom they come. 17 2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone round his neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 17 3 Keep a watch on yourselves.
'If your brother wrongs you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 17 4 Even if he wrongs you seven times in a day and comes back to you seven times saying, "I am sorry", you are to forgive him.'
17 5 The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith'; 17 6 and the Lord replied, 'If you had faith no bigger even than a mustard-seed, you could say to this sycamore-tree, "Be rooted up and replanted in the sea", and it would at once obey you.
17 7 Suppose one of you has a servant ploughing or minding sheep. When he comes back from the fields, will the master say, "Come along at once and sit down"? 17 8 Will he not rather say, "Prepare my supper, fasten your belt, and then wait on me while I have my meal; you can have yours afterwards"? 17 9 Is he grateful to the servant for carrying out his orders? 17 10 So with you: when you have carried out all your orders, you should say, "We are servants and deserve no credit; we have only done our duty." '