Dual Panel1AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,
3And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].
4Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5And whoever receives {and} accepts {and} welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives {and} accepts {and} welcomes Me.
6But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in {and} acknowledge {and} cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.
7Woe to the world for such temptations to sin {and} influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account {or} by whom the temptation comes!
8And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble {and} sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.
9And if your eye causes you to stumble {and} sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire.
10Beware that you do not despise {or} feel scornful toward {or} think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of {and} look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven.
11{For the Son of man came to save [from the penalty of eternal death] that which was lost.
12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray {and} gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?
13And if it should be that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.
14Just so it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost {and} perish.
15If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
16But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed {and} upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
17If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.
18Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid {and} declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit {and} declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.
19Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass {and} be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them.
21Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him {and} let it go? [As many as] up to seven times?
22Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!
23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants.
24When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [probably about $10,000,000],
25And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.
26So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.
27And his master's heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [cancelling] the debt.
28But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe!
29So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you {all} !
30But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt.
31When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master.
32Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible {and} wicked attendant! I forgave {and} cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to.
33And should you not have had pity {and} mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity {and} mercy on you?
34And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed.
35So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart {his offenses.}