1 In that hour the apprentices came to Joshua, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2 Joshua called a little child to Himself, and set him in the middle of them, 3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 Whoever receives one such little child in My name receives Me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world because of causes of stumbling! For it must be that the causes of stumbling come, but woe to that person through whom the cause of stumbling comes! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be thrown into the continuing fire. 9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the fire of Hinnom Valley. 10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
12 “What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep, and one of them wanders away, doesn’t he leave the 99, go to the mountains, and look for the one that is wandering away? 13 And if he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the 99 which didn’t wander away. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every statement may be established.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a non-Jew or a tax collector. 18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am among them.”
21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Master, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
22 Joshua said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until 70 times seven. 23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents. 25 But because he couldn’t pay, his master commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will repay you everything!’ 27 The master of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him 100 denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30 But he wouldn’t. Instead he went and threw him into prison until he would pay back what was owed. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very upset, and came and told their master everything that had happened. 32 Then his master called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and handed him over to the torturers until he would pay everything that was owed him. 35 Likewise My heavenly Father will also do to you, if each of you doesn’t forgive his brother his misdeeds from the heart.”