The Greatest in the Kingdom
(Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-50)

1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?”

2And having summoned a child, He set it in their midst, 3and said, “Truly I say to you, if you are not converted and become as the little children, you shall never enter into the kingdom of the heavens. 4Therefore whoever will humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens. 5And whoever shall receive one such little child in My name, receives Me.

6And whoever shall cause to stumble one of these of the little ones believing in Me, it is better for him that a heavy millstone should be hung around his neck, and he be sunk in the depth of the sea.

Temptations and Trespasses
(Mark 9:42-50; Luke 17:1-4)

7Woe to the world because of the causes of sin. For the stumbling blocks are necessary to come, but woe to the man by whom the offense comes!

8Now if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life one-eyed, than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
(Luke 15:1-7)

10See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that their angels in the heavens continually behold the face of my Father, who is in the heavens.a

12What do you think? If to any man there should be a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, will he not leave the ninety nine on the mountains and, having gone, seek the one going astray? 13And if he should find it, truly I say to you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety nine not having gone astray. 14Thus it is not the will of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should perish.

A Brother who Sins
(Deuteronomy 19:15-21)

15And if your brother sins against you,b go reprove him, between you and him alone. If he will hear you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘every word may be strengthened upon the testimony of two or three witnesses.’c 17And if he fails to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he fails to listen to even to the church, let him be to you as the pagan and the tax collector.

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

19Again truly I say to you that if two of you on the earth might agree concerning any matter that they shall ask, it will be done for them by My Father who is in the heavens. 20For where two or three are gathered together unto My name, there am I in their midst.”

The Unforgiving Servant
(Romans 12:14-21)

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

22Jesus says to him, “I say to you not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!d

23Because of this, the kingdom of the heavens has become like to a man, a king, who desired to settle accounts with his servants. 24And he having begun to settle, one was brought to him, a debtor of ten thousand talents.e 25And of him having nothing to pay, the master commanded him to be sold, and the wife and children, and everything that he had, and payment to be made.

26Therefore the servant, having fallen down, was bowing on his knees to him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay everything to you.’

27And the master of that servant having been moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

28But the same servant having gone out, found one of his fellow servants who was owing him a hundred denarii,f and having seized him, he was throttling him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

29Therefore his fellow servant having fallen down, was begging him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

30But he was not willing. Rather, having gone, he cast him into prison until he should pay what was owed.

31Therefore his fellow servants having seen the things having taken place, were deeply grieved, and having gone, narrated to their master everything having taken place.

32Then his master having called him, says to him, ‘Evil servant, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Did it not behoove you also to have pitied your fellow servant, as I also had pitied you?’ 34And having been angry, his master delivered him to the jailers, until that he should pay all being owed to him.

35Thus also My Heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your heart.”