New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,

2And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,

3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

3and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

4Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

4"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

5"And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

6“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

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

7Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

7"Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

8“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

8"If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.

9And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

9"If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.

10“Take heed that you do not despise 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.

10"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

11For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

11"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

12“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

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

13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

13"If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

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

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

15"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’

16"But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.

17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

17"If 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.

18“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

18"Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

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

19"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

20"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

21Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

21Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

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

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

23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

23"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

24"When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.

25"But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.

26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’

26"So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'

27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

27"And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.

28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

28"But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.'

29So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’

29"So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.'

30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

30"But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

31So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.

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

32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

32"Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’

33'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?'

34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

34"And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

35“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

35"My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org