New King James Version

New Living Translation

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

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

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

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

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.

4Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little 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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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, 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 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“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 “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

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

11

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 “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 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 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!

14Even so it is not the will of your 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“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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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 “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.

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 “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 together in My name, I am there in the midst of 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 to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to 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, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

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

23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted 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.

24And when he had begun to settle accounts, 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.

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 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.

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

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

27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, 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.

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 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 at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’

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.

30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till 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.

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 “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, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged 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.

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

33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as 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 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

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

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