Dual PanelTeaching about the kingdom
1AT that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?”
2He called a child, set him in front of them,
3and said, “Truly I tell you: unless you turn round and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.
4Whoever humbles himself and becomes like this child will be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven,
5and whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.
6But if anyone causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7Alas for the world that any of them should be made to fall! Such things must happen, but alas for the one through whom they happen!
8“If your hand or your foot causes your downfall, cut it off and fling it away; it is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame, than to keep two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.
9And if your eye causes your downfall, tear it out and fling it away; it is better to enter into life with one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into the fires of hell.
10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; I tell you, they have their angels in heaven, who look continually on the face of my heavenly Father.
11[[EMPTY]]
12“What do you think? Suppose someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, does he not leave the other ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the one that strayed?
13Truly I tell you: if he should find it, he is more delighted over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
14In the same way, it is not your heavenly Father's will that one of these little ones should be lost.
15“If your brother does wrong, go and take the matter up with him, strictly between yourselves. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
16But if he will not listen, take one or two others with you, so that every case may be settled on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
17If he refuses to listen to them, report the matter to the congregation; and if he will not listen even to the congregation, then treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-collector.
18“Truly I tell you: whatever you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven.
19“And again I tell you: if two of you agree on earth about any request you have to make, that request will be granted by my heavenly Father.
20For where two or three meet together in my name, I am there among them.”
21Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often am I to forgive my brother if he goes on wronging me? As many as seven times?”
22Jesus replied, “I do not say seven times but seventy times seven.
23“The kingdom of Heaven, therefore, should be thought of in this way: There was once a king who decided to settle accounts with the men who served him.
24At the outset there appeared before him a man who owed ten thousand talents.
25Since he had no means of paying, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and everything he had, to meet the debt.
26The man fell at his master's feet. ‘Be patient with me,’ he implored, ‘and I will pay you in full’;
27and the master was so moved with pity that he let the man go and cancelled the debt.
28But no sooner had the man gone out than he met a fellow-servant who owed him a hundred denarii; he took hold of him, seizing him by the throat, and said, ‘Pay me what you owe.’
29The man fell at his fellow-servant's feet, and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you’;
30but he refused, and had him thrown into jail until he should pay the debt.
31The other servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and told him the whole story.
32Then he sent for the man and said, ‘You scoundrel! I cancelled the whole of your debt when you appealed to me;
33ought you not to have shown mercy to your fellow-servant just as I showed mercy to you?’
34And so angry was the master that he condemned the man to be tortured until he should pay the debt in full.
35That is how my heavenly Father will deal with you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts.”