天國裡誰最偉大
1這時，門徒上前來，問耶穌：「在天國誰最偉大？」
2耶穌叫了一個小孩子來站在他們當中，然後說： 3「我實在告訴你們，你們若不變得像小孩子那樣，絕不能進天國。 4所以，凡像這小孩子一樣謙卑的人，在天國才是最偉大的。
5「任何人為了我的名而接待這樣一個小孩子，就是接待了我。 6但不論誰使這樣一個小信徒失足犯罪，他的下場比把大磨石拴在他脖子上沉到深海裡還要慘。 7這世界有禍了！因為裡面充滿了引人犯罪的事。這樣的事是免不了的，但那些引人犯罪的人有禍了！
8「如果你的手或腳使你犯罪，就砍掉它！因為肢體殘缺著進入永生，總比四肢健全卻被丟進永遠不滅的火中好。 9如果你的一隻眼睛使你犯罪，就剜出來丟掉它吧！獨眼進入永生，總比雙目健全卻被丟進地獄的火中好。 10你們切不可輕視任何一位卑微的人。我告訴你們，他們的天使在天上常見我天父的面。
迷失的羊
11「人子到世界來，為要拯救迷失的人。 12如果一個人有一百隻羊，其中有一隻走迷了路，他會怎麼辦呢？難道不會把那九十九隻撇在山上，去找那隻迷失的羊嗎？ 13我實在告訴你們，如果找到了，他會非常歡喜，甚至比有那九十九隻沒有迷失的羊還歡喜。 14同樣，你們的天父也不願任何一個卑微的人失喪。
糾正信徒的過錯
15「如果你的弟兄得罪了你，你要找個機會跟他單獨在一起，指出他的錯處。如果他肯接受勸告，你就得了一位弟兄。 16如果他不聽勸告，你就帶一兩位弟兄去見他，讓兩三個人為談話作證。 17如果他仍然不聽，就應當告訴教會。如果他連教會也不聽，就把他看作異教徒或稅吏18·17 「稅吏」即猶太人眼中的「漢奸」，幫助統治猶太人的羅馬政府收稅，常從中牟取暴利。。 18我實在告訴你們，你們在地上捆綁的，在天上也要捆綁；你們在地上釋放的，在天上也要釋放。
19「我又告訴你們，如果你們當中有兩個人在地上同心合意地祈求，不論求什麼，我天上的父必為你們成就。 20因為哪裡有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，我就在哪裡與他們同在。」
七十個七次
21彼得上前問耶穌：「主啊，如果我的弟兄得罪了我，我該饒恕他多少次呢？七次夠了吧？」
22耶穌回答說：「我告訴你，不是七次，是七十個七次。
23「因此，天國就像一個王，他要跟奴僕清算債務。 24正開始清算的時候，有人帶著一個欠了六千萬銀幣18·24 「六千萬銀幣」希腊文是「一萬他連得」，一他連得相當於當時一個普通工人20年的工錢。的人進來。 25因為這個人無法清還債款，王就下令把他及其妻兒和所有財產全部賣掉還債。 26那奴僕跪在王面前乞求說，『請寬容我，我會把債務全部還清的。』 27王可憐他，不但釋放了他，而且免了他全部的債。
28「可是，那奴僕出去後，遇見一位欠他一百個銀幣18·28 一個銀幣相當於當時普通工人一天的工錢。的同伴，就揪住同伴，掐著他的喉嚨說，『還我錢！』 29同伴跪下哀求道，『請寬容我，我會還你的。』
30「那奴僕卻不肯，竟把同伴送進監獄，直到他還清債務為止。 31其他的奴僕目睹這一切，都憤憤不平，把這件事告訴了王。
32「於是，王把那奴僕召來，說，『你這可惡的奴才！你哀求我，我就免了你所有的債。 33難道你不應該憐憫你的同伴，就像我憐憫你一樣嗎？』 34王大怒，下令把他交給獄卒受刑，直到他還清全部的債務。 35如果你們不從心裡饒恕自己的弟兄，我的天父也要這樣對待你們。」
Who Is the Most Important Person in the Kingdom?
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus. They asked him, “Then who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child over to him. He had the child stand among them. 3Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Anyone who takes the humble position of this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven. 5Anyone who welcomes a little child like this one in my name welcomes me.
Do Not Cause People to Sin
6“What if someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If they do, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for the person who causes them! 8If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one hand than go into hell with two hands. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one foot than go into hell with two feet. In hell the fire burns forever. 9If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Story of the Wandering Sheep
10-11“See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven are always with my Father who is in heaven.
12“What do you think? Suppose a man owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders away. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep on the hills? Won’t he go and look for the one that wandered off? 13What I’m about to tell you is true. If he finds that sheep, he is happier about the one than about the 99 that didn’t wander off. 14It is the same with your Father in heaven. He does not want any of these little ones to die.
When Someone Sins Against You
15“If your brother or sister sins against you, go to them. Tell them what they did wrong. Keep it between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them back. 16But what if they won’t listen to you? Then take one or two others with you. Scripture says, ‘Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.’ (Deuteronomy 19:15) 17But what if they also refuse to listen to the witnesses? Then tell it to the church. And what if they refuse to listen even to the church? Then don’t treat them as a brother or sister. Treat them as you would treat an ungodly person or a tax collector.
18“What I’m about to tell you is true. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.
19“Again, here is what I tell you. Suppose two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for. My Father in heaven will do it for you. 20Where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.”
The Servant Who Had No Mercy
21Peter came to Jesus. He asked, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.
23“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to collect all the money his servants owed him. 24As the king began to do it, a man who owed him 10,000 bags of gold was brought to him. 25The man was not able to pay. So his master gave an order. The man, his wife, his children, and all he owned had to be sold to pay back what he owed.
26“Then the servant fell on his knees in front of him. ‘Give me time,’ he begged. ‘I’ll pay everything back.’ 27His master felt sorry for him. He forgave him what he owed and let him go.
28“But then that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him 100 silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he said.
29“The other servant fell on his knees. ‘Give me time,’ he begged him. ‘I’ll pay it back.’
30“But the first servant refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison. The man would be held there until he could pay back what he owed. 31The other servants saw what had happened and were very angry. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
32“Then the master called the first servant in. ‘You evil servant,’ he said. ‘I forgave all that you owed me because you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on the other servant just as I had mercy on you?’ 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers. He would be punished until he paid back everything he owed.
35“This is how my Father in heaven will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
