English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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 said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them

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

3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never 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.

4Whoever humbles himself like this 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.

5“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

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

6but 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 around his neck and to be 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.

7“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation 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!

8And 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 crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal 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, tear 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.

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“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell 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.

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

12What 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?

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 finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went 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.

14So it is not the will of my 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“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.

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 does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

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.

17If 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.

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.

18Truly, 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.

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.

19Again 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.

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 in my name, there am I among them.”

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

21Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as 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 seven times, but seventy-seven times.

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

23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished 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.

24When he began to settle, 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.

25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to 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.

26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’

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

27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

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

28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay 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 and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

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.'

30He refused and went and put him in prison until 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.

31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

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 summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

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

33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy 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 in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

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

35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

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

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