| NET Bible | New International 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 of heaven?" |
| 2He called a child, had him stand among them, | 2He called a little child to him, and placed the child 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! | 3And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. |
| 4Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. |
| 5And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. | 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes 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--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths 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. | 7Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! |
| 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. | 8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed 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 stumble, gouge 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 the fire of hell. |
| 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 that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. |
| 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 owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? |
| 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. | 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. |
| 14In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost. | 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. |
| 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 or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. |
| 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 they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established 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 they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or 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"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed 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. | 19"Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. |
| 20For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them." | 20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with 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 to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" |
| 22Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! | 22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. |
| 23"For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. | 23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like 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. | 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold 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. | 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. |
| 26Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.' | 26"At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' |
| 27The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. | 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. |
| 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 out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. |
| 29Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you.' | 29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' |
| 30But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. | 30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay 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. | 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. |
| 32Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, 'Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! | 32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. |
| 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 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 to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. |
| 35So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart." | 35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." |
|
