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。」
The greatest in the kingdom of heaven
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’
2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Causing to stumble
6‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung round their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And 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 hell.
The parable of the wandering sheep
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 in heaven. 1118:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.
12‘What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Dealing with sin in the church
15‘If your brother or sister18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35. sins,18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”18:16 Deut. 19:15 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18‘Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be18:18 Or will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be18:18 Or will have been loosed in heaven.
19‘Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’
The parable of the unmerciful servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’
22Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.18:22 Or seventy times seven
23‘Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day labourer’s wages. was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26‘At this the servant fell on his knees before him. “Be patient with me,” he begged, “and I will pay back everything.” 27The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.
28‘But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day labourer (see 20:2). He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you owe me!” he demanded.
29‘His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.”
30‘But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32‘Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35‘This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’
