1: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2: And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them,
3: and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4: Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5: “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 to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7: “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!
8: And 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 maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.
9: And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck 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.
10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
12: What 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?
13: And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
14: So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
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.
16: But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
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: Truly, 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.
19: Again 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.
20: For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
21: Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22: Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
23: “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24: When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;
25: and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26: So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
27: And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28: But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.’
29: So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
30: He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.
31: When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.
32: Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;
33: and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
34: And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.
35: So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
