Matthew 18
Seventy Times Seven
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Who Is Greatest in the Kingdom?
18:1At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?”
18:2He called a child and stood the child in their midst,
18:3and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of the heavens.
18:4Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.
18:5And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me.
18:6But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a donkey-driven millstone be hung around his neck and he be sunk in the open sea.
Woe to the World Because of Stumbling Blocks
18:7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! For stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!
18:8If your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire.
18:9And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than, having two eyes, to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
The Lost Sheep
18:10See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in the heavens continually see the face of My Father in the heavens.
18:12What do you think? If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go seeking the one that strays?
18:13If he succeeds in finding it, truly I tell you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not strayed.
18:14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in the heavens that one of these little ones perish.
If Your Brother Sins
18:15If your brother sins against you, go and reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
18:16But if he does not hear, take one or two more with you, so that every matter may be established upon the mouth of two or three witnesses.
18:17If he refuses to hear them, tell the Church. And if he refuses to hear even the Church, let him be to you like the Gentile and the tax collector.
18:18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind upon earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose upon earth will have been loosed in heaven.
18:19Again, truly I tell you that if two of you agree upon earth concerning any matter they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in the heavens.
18:20For where two or three are gathered into My name, there I am in their midst.”
How Often Shall I Forgive?
18:21Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
18:22Jesus said to him, “I do not tell you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
The Unforgiving Slave
18:23Therefore the kingdom of the heavens was likened to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
18:24When he began settling accounts, one debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him.
18:25Since he could not repay, the master ordered him to be sold, together with his wife, children, and everything he had, and repayment to be made.
18:26So the slave fell down and bowed before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’
18:27Moved with compassion, that slave’s master released him and forgave him the loan.
18:28But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. He seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Repay whatever you owe.’
18:29So his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’
18:30But he was unwilling. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he repaid what was owed.
18:31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were exceedingly grieved. They came and explained to their master everything that had happened.
18:32Then his master summoned him and said, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
18:33Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’
18:34His master became angry and handed him over to the torturers until he repaid everything owed.
18:35So also My heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts.”
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.