Sin, Forgiveness, Faith, and Service

17 And he said to his disciples, “It is impossible for causes for stumbling not to come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone[fn] is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea than that he causes one of these little ones to sin.

3 “Be concerned about yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times he returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith like a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “And which of you who has a slave plowing or shepherding sheep[fn] who comes in from the field will say to him, ‘Come here at once and[fn] recline at the table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something that I may eat, and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and after these things you will eat and drink.’ 9 He will not be grateful[fn] to the slave because he did what was ordered, will he?[fn] 10 Thus you also, when you have done all the things you were ordered to do,[fn] say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done what we were obligated to do.’ ”