| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" | 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven?" |
| 2He called a child, had him stand among them, | 2Calling a little child forward, he had him stand among them. |
| 3and said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven! | 3Then he said, "I tell all of you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom from heaven. |
| 4Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven, |
| 5And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. | 5and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me." |
| 6"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. | 6"If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned at the bottom of the sea. |
| 7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come. | 7How terrible it will be for the world due to its temptations to sin! Temptations to sin are bound to happen, but how terrible it will be for that person who causes someone to sin! |
| 8If 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 to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. | 8"So 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 injured or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. |
| 9And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell. | 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 to have two eyes and be thrown into hell fire. |
| 10"See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. | 10"See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven. |
| 11 | 11For the Son of Man came to save the lost." |
| 12What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? | 12"What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays, he leaves the 99 in the hills and goes to look for the one that has strayed, doesn't he? |
| 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. | 13If he finds it, I tell all of you with certainty that he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that haven't strayed. |
| 14In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost. | 14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost." |
| 15"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. | 15"If your brother sins against you, go and confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. |
| 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. | 16But if he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that 'every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' |
| 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector. | 17If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation. If he also ignores the congregation, regard him as an unbeliever and a tax collector. |
| 18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. | 18"I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. |
| 19Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. | 19Furthermore, I tell all of you with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, |
| 20For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them." | 20because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them." |
| 21Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?" | 21Then Peter came up and asked him, "Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?" |
| 22Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! | 22Jesus told him, "I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times! |
| 23"For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. | 23"That is why the kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. |
| 24As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him. | 24When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him. |
| 25Because he was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. | 25Because he couldn't pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and everything that he owned to be sold so that payment could be made. |
| 26Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.' | 26Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything!' |
| 27The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. | 27The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt. |
| 28After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe me!' | 28"But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, 'Pay what you owe!' |
| 29Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you.' | 29Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me and I will repay you!' |
| 30But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. | 30But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt. |
| 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. | 31"When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred. |
| 32Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, 'Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! | 32Then his master sent for him and told him, 'You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me. |
| 33Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?' | 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' |
| 34And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed. | 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt. |
| 35So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart." | 35This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts." |
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