Matthew:18

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* At that time the disciples came to Jesus , saying , »Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ?« * He called to him a little child , and put him in the midst of them , * and he said , »Truly , I say to you , unless you turn and become like little children , you will never enter the kingdom of heaven . * Therefore , whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven . * Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me . * »But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin , it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea . * Woe to the world because of temptations to sin ! For temptations must come , but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes ! * And 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 maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire . * And if your eye causes you to sin , pluck 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 the fire of hell . * »See that you do not despise one of these little ones . For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven . tcent @Matthew:18:11 " /> * What do you think ? If a man has a hundred sheep , and one of them has gone astray , does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains in search of the one that went astray ? * And if he finds it , truly , I say to you , he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray . * So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish . * »If your brother sins against you , go and tell him his fault , between you and him alone . If he listens to you , you have gained your brother . * But if he will not listen , take one or two others along with you , so that ‘every matter may be established by the word of two or three witnesses .’ * 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 . * »Truly , 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 . * Again I say to you , that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask , it will be done for them by my Father in heaven . * For where two or three are gathered together in my name , there am I in the midst of them .« * Then Peter came to him and said , »Lord , how often shall my brother sin against me , and I forgive him ? Up to seven times ?« * Jesus said to him , »I do not say to you seven times , but seventy times seven . * Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants . * When he began the settlement , one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents . * And as he was not able to pay , his master ordered that he be sold , with his wife and children and all that he had , and payment to be made . * So the servant fell on his knees before him , saying , ‘Have patience with me , and I will pay you everything .’ * The master of that servant took pity on him , released him , and forgave him the debt . * 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 .’ * So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him , ‘Have patience with me , and I will pay you back .’ * But he refused , and went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt . * When his fellow servants saw what had taken place , they were greatly distressed , and went and told their master all that had happened . * Then his master , after he had called him , said to him , ‘You wicked servant ! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me . * Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant , just as I had mercy on you ?’ * And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers to be tortured , until he should pay back all he owed . * So also my heavenly Father will do to each of you , if you do not forgive your brother from your heart .«

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