English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

1About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them

2Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.

3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

3Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

4Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

5“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!

7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.

8And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.

8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.

9And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. Parable of the Lost Sheep

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12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?

12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?

13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away!

14So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. Correcting Another Believer

15“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

18Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

21Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

21Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.

24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.

25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’

27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.

30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.

32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.

33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’

33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’

34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.