[1] In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven? [2] And he took a little child, and put him in the
middle of them, [3] And said, Truly, I say to you, If you do not have a
change of heart and become like little children, you will not go into the
kingdom of heaven. [4] Whoever, then, will make himself as low as this
little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5] And
whoever gives honour to one such little child in my name, gives honour to
me: [6] But whoever is a cause of trouble to one of these little ones who
have faith in me, it would be better for him to have a great stone fixed to
his neck, and to come to his end in the deep sea. [7] A curse is on the
earth because of trouble! for it is necessary for trouble to come; but
unhappy is that man through whom the trouble comes. [8] And if your hand or
your foot is a cause of trouble, let it be cut off and put it away from
you: it is better for you to go into life with the loss of a hand or a foot
than, having two hands or two feet, to go into the eternal fire. [9] And if
your eye is a cause of trouble to you, take it out, and put it away from
you: it is better for you to go into life with one eye than, having two
eyes, to go into the hell of fire. [10] Let it not seem to you that one of
these little ones is of no value; for I say to you that in heaven their
angels see at all times the face of my Father in heaven. [11] [] [12] What
would you say now? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone
wandering away, will he not let the ninety-nine be, and go to the mountains
in search of the wandering one? [13] And if he comes across it, truly I say
to you, he has more joy over it than over the ninety-nine which have not
gone out of the way. [14] Even so it is not the pleasure of your Father in
heaven for one of these little ones to come to destruction. [15] And if
your brother does wrong to you, go, make clear to him his error between you
and him in private: if he gives ear to you, you have got your brother back
again. [16] But if he will not give ear to you, take with you one or two
more, that by the lips of two or three witnesses every word may be made
certain. [17] And if he will not give ear to them, let it come to the
hearing of the church: and if he will not give ear to the church, let him
be to you as a Gentile and a tax-farmer. [18] Truly I say to you, Whatever
things are fixed by you on earth will be fixed in heaven: and whatever you
make free on earth will be made free in heaven. [19] Again, I say to you,
that if two of you are in agreement on earth about anything for which they
will make a request, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20]
For where two or three are come together in my name, there am I among them.
[21] Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, what number of times may my
brother do wrong against me, and I give him forgiveness? till seven times?
[22] Jesus says to him, I say not to you, Till seven times; but, Till
seventy times seven. [23] For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a
king, who went over his accounts with his servants. [24] And at the start,
one came to him who was in his debt for ten thousand talents. [25] And
because he was not able to make payment, his lord gave orders for him, and
his wife, and his sons and daughters, and all he had, to be given for
money, and payment to be made. [26] So the servant went down on his face
and gave him worship, saying, Lord, give me time to make payment and I will
give you all. [27] And the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let
him go, and made him free of the debt. [28] But that servant went out, and
meeting one of the other servants, who was in debt to him for one hundred
pence, he took him by the throat, saying, Make payment of your debt. [29]
So that servant went down on his face, requesting him and saying, Give me
time and I will make payment to you. [30] And he would not: but went and
put him into prison till he had made payment of the debt. [31] So when the
other servants saw what was done they were very sad, and came and gave word
to their lord of what had been done. [32] Then his lord sent for him and
said, You evil servant; I made you free of all that debt, because of your
request to me: [33] Was it not right for you to have mercy on the other
servant, even as I had mercy on you? [34] And his lord was very angry, and
put him in the hands of those who would give him punishment till he made
payment of all the debt. [35] So will my Father in heaven do to you, if you
do not everyone, from your hearts, give forgiveness to his brother.
