International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven?"

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2Calling a little child forward, he had him stand among them.

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

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.

3and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

4Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven,

4"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me."

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

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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 to have two eyes and be thrown into hell 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 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.

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.

11For the Son of Man came to save the lost."

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

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?

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?

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.

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.

14In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost."

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 confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back 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 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.'

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, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation. If he also ignores the congregation, regard him as an unbeliever 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.

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.

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.

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,

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.

20because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there 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 asked him, "Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? 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 told him, "I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times!

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

23"That is why the kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who wanted 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 had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him.

24"When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

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.

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.

26Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay 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.'

27The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt.

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

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!'

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.'

29Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me and I will repay 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.'

30But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.

30"But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

31"When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred.

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 sent for him and told him, 'You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me.

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

33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just 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?'

34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt.

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

35This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts."

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

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org