AICNT MAT chapter 18

18 At that time the disciples approached Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?” 2 And calling a child, [[Jesus]][fn] placed it in their midst 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of the heavens. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens. 5 And whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me.

6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung {around}[fn] their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world because of the stumbling blocks! For [it is necessary that][fn] stumbling blocks come, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes. 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut {it}[fn] off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge 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 Gehenna.[fn]

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11 [[For the Son of Man came to save the lost.]][fn]

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 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. 14 So it is not the will {before}[fn] {your}[fn] Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 “If your brother sins [against you],[fn] go and reprove him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother; 16 but if he does not listen, take with you one or two others, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established; 17 and 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 “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.

19 “Again [truly][fn] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in the heavens. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.”

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

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

23 “Therefore the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a king, who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since 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.

26 “So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me [[Lord]],[fn] and I will pay you everything.’

27 “And out of pity for him, the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

28 “But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay [[me]][fn] what you owe.’

29 “So his fellow servant fell down [[at his feet]][fn] and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you [[all]].’[fn]

30 “He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt [[that was owed]].[fn] 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. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt [[to him]].[fn] 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not forgive your brother [[their trespasses]][fn] from your heart.”

18:2, Jesus: Later manuscripts add.

18:6, around: Later manuscripts add “on.”

18:7, it is necessary that: Absent from some manuscripts.

18:8, it: Later manuscripts read “them.”

18:9, Gehenna: Often translated hell, Gehenna is a term derived from a place called the Valley of Hinnom, located near Jerusalem. In the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), this valley was associated with practices of child sacrifice to foreign gods, notably the Canaanite deity Moloch. Because of these associations, the Valley of Hinnom was reviled and became a symbol of divine judgment and destruction.

18:11, Later manuscripts add verse 11.

18:14, before: Some manuscripts read “of.”

18:14, your: Later manuscripts read “my.”

18:15, against you: Absent from some manuscripts.

18:19, truly: Absent from some manuscripts.

18:26, Lord: Later manuscripts add.

18:28, me: Later manuscripts add.

18:29, at his feet: Later manuscripts add.

18:29, all: Later manuscripts add.

18:30, that was owed: Later manuscripts add.

18:34, to him: Later manuscripts add.

18:35, their trespasses: Later manuscripts add.

AICNT MAT Chapter 18