| 章 |
| 18:1 |
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'
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| 18:2 |
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them,
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| 18:3 |
and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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| 18:4 |
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
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| 18:5 |
'Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me;
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| 18:6 |
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
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| 18:7 |
'Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!
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| 18:8 |
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.
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| 18:9 |
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 with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
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| 18:10 |
'See that you do not despise one of these little ones;for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
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| 18:11 |
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| 18:12 |
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 on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
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| 18:13 |
And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
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| 18:14 |
So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
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| 18:15 |
'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.
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| 18:16 |
But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
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| 18:17 |
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.
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| 18:18 |
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
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| 18:19 |
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
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| 18:20 |
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.'
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| 18:21 |
Then Peter came up and said to him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?'
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| 18:22 |
Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
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| 18:23 |
'Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
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| 18:24 |
When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;
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| 18:25 |
and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
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| 18:26 |
So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'
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| 18:27 |
And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
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| 18:28 |
But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii;and seizing him by the throat he said, Pay what you owe.'
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| 18:29 |
So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'
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| 18:30 |
He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.
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| 18:31 |
When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.
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| 18:32 |
Then his lord summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;
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| 18:33 |
and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'
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| 18:34 |
And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.
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| 18:35 |
So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.'
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