Matthew 18:12-35 ▼

12 What do you think? If a man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them is lost, would he not leave the ninety and nine on the mountain, and go in search of the one which is lost?

13 And if he should find it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety and nine which were not lost.

14 Even so, your Father in heaven does not want one of these little ones to be lost.

15 Now then, if your brother is at fault with you, go and rebuke him alone; if he listens to you, then you have won your brother.

16 But if he will not listen to you, take one or two with you, because at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is sustained.

17 And if he will not listen to them, tell the congregation; and if he will not listen to the congregation, then regard him as a publican and a heathen.

18 Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven.

19 Again I say to you, that if two of you are worthy on earth, anything that they would ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

20 For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, My Lord, if my brother is at fault with me, how many times should I forgive him? up to seven times?

22 Jesus 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 is likened to a king who wanted to take an accounting from his servants.

24 And when he began to take the accounting, they brought to him one who owed ten thousand talents.

25 And as he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, together with his wife and children, and all that he had, so that he could pay.

26 The servant then fell down, worshipped him, and said, My lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.

27 Then the master of that servant had pity, so he released him, and cancelled his debt.

28 But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him one hundred cents; and he seized him, and tried to choke him, saying to him, Give me what you owe me.

29 So his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and begged him and said, Have patience with me, and I will pay you.

30 But he was not willing; and he went and had him put into prison, until he should pay him what he owed him.

31 When their fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were very sorry, and they came and informed their master of everything that had happened.

32 Then his master called him and said to him, O wicked servant, I cancelled all your debt because you begged me.

33 Was it not right for you to have mercy on your fellow-servant, just as I had mercy on you?

34 So his master was angry, and delivered him to the scourgers, until he should pay everything he owed him.

35 So will my Father in heaven do to you, if you do not forgive each man his brother’s fault from your heart.