Matthew 18

In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

And he called to him a little child and set him in the midst of them,

and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become as little children, you will absolutely not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, whoever will humble himself as this little child, that one is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And whoever receives a little child like this one in my name receives me,

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to fall away, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the lake.

“How terrible it will be for the world because of the stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but how terrible for that person through whom the stumbling block comes!

And if your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life in the age to come maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the fire of the age to come.

And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life in the age to come with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gehenna.

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I say to you, that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

[[For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.]]

“What do you think? If any man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the 99 on the mountains and seek the one that went astray?

And if he happens to find it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that have not gone astray.

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

“And if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault—just between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two more, so that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word can be established.

And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the congregation, and if he also refuses to hear the congregation, let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector.

Truly I say to you, whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be already permitted in heaven.

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them.”

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

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

“That is why the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

And when he began to settle them, one slave was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents.

But because he did not have the means to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Therefore, the slave fell at his feet and bowed down before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me and I will pay you everything.’

And the lord of that slave, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves, who owed him 100 denarii, and he laid hold on him, and seizing him, began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

So his fellow slave fell down and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

But he was unwilling, and went and threw him into prison until he paid what was due.

So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved, and came and told to their lord all that had happened.

Then having called him in, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, just as I had mercy on you?’

And his lord was enraged and handed him over to the torturers until he paid back all that was owed.

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