| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" | 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven?" |
| 2Then He called a child to Him and had him stand among them. | 2Calling a little child forward, he had him stand among them. |
| 3"I assure you," He said, "unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. | 3Then he said, "I tell all of you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom from heaven. |
| 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child--this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven, |
| 5And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me. | 5and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me." |
| 6"But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me--it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea! | 6"If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned at the bottom of the sea. |
| 7Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes. | 7How terrible it will be for the world due to its temptations to sin! Temptations to sin are bound to happen, but how terrible it will be for that person who causes someone to sin! |
| 8If your hand or your foot causes your downfall, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. | 8"So 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 injured or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. |
| 9And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, rather than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire! | 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 to have two eyes and be thrown into hell fire. |
| 10"See that you don't look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven. | 10"See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven. |
| 11For the Son of Man has come to save the lost. | 11For the Son of Man came to save the lost." |
| 12What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, won't he leave the 99 on the hillside and go and search for the stray? | 12"What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays, he leaves the 99 in the hills and goes to look for the one that has strayed, doesn't he? |
| 13And if he finds it, I assure you: He rejoices over that sheep more than over the 99 that did not go astray. | 13If he finds it, I tell all of you with certainty that he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that haven't strayed. |
| 14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish. | 14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost." |
| 15"If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. | 15"If your brother sins against you, go and confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. |
| 16But if he won't listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. | 16But if he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that 'every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' |
| 17If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn't pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you. | 17If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation. If he also ignores the congregation, regard him as an unbeliever and a tax collector. |
| 18I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. | 18"I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. |
| 19Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. | 19Furthermore, I tell all of you with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, |
| 20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them." | 20because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them." |
| 21Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" | 21Then Peter came up and asked him, "Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?" |
| 22"I tell you, not as many as seven," Jesus said to him, "but 70 times seven. | 22Jesus told him, "I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times! |
| 23For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. | 23"That is why the kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. |
| 24When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him. | 24When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him. |
| 25Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. | 25Because he couldn't pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and everything that he owned to be sold so that payment could be made. |
| 26"At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!' | 26Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything!' |
| 27Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. | 27The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt. |
| 28"But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, Pay what you owe!' | 28"But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, 'Pay what you owe!' |
| 29"At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' | 29Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me and I will repay you!' |
| 30But he wasn't willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. | 30But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt. |
| 31When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. | 31"When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred. |
| 32"Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. | 32Then his master sent for him and told him, 'You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me. |
| 33Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' | 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' |
| 34And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. | 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt. |
| 35So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart." | 35This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts." |
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