NET Bible

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?"

2He called a child, had him stand among them,

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

3and said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little 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 then humbles himself like this little 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.

5And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.

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

6"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open 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.

7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.

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!

8If 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 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 into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell.

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 disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of 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.

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

12What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for 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, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go 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.

14In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones 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, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained 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 with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.

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. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or 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 you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released 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 tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

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 assembled 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 to him and said, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? 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, "Not seven times, I tell you, 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"For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

23"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

24As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand 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 was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment 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.

26Then the slave threw himself to the ground 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 lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt.

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

28After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe me!'

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 slave threw himself down and begged 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. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid 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 slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything 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 lord called the first slave and said to him, 'Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt 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.

33Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to 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 lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed.

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 you, if each of you does 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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