| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” | 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" |
| 2Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, | 2Then He called a child to Him and had him stand 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. | 3"I assure you," He said, "unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. |
| 4Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child--this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. |
| 5Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. | 5And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes 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 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! |
| 7Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! | 7Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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! |
| 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"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. |
| 11For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. | 11For the Son of Man has come to save the lost. |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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. | 13And if he finds it, I assure you: He rejoices over that sheep more than over the 99 that did not go astray. |
| 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. | 14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish. |
| 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 your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. |
| 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.’ | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 18I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed 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. | 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. |
| 20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” | 20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them." |
| 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 said, "Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" |
| 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. | 22"I tell you, not as many as seven," Jesus said to him, "but 70 times seven. |
| 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. | 23For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. |
| 24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. | 24When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ | 26"At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!' |
| 27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. | 27Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. |
| 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 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!' |
| 29So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ | 29"At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' |
| 30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. | 30But he wasn't willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. |
| 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. | 31When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master 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, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. |
| 33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ | 33Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, 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. | 34And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. |
| 35“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” | 35So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart." |
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