Study Desk

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

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

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

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

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

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

"So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

"Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

"And if your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

"And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

"See that you do not look down on 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.

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

"What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost?

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

"And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

"So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

"Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

"But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER MAY BE CONFIRMED.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

"And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

"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.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

"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.

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Then Peter came up and said to Him, "Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?"

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

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

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

"For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

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

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

"But since he did not have the means to repay, his master commanded that he be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment be made.

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

"So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

"And the master of that slave felt compassion, and he released him and forgave him the debt.

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

"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!'

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

"So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.'

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

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

And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

"So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their master all that had happened.

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

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

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?'

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

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

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

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

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.