The
Greatest In The Kingdom
At
that time the Disciples came to Jesus and asked,
'WHO
IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?'
2
He called a little child and had him stand among them.
3
'I TELL YOU THE TUTH,
UNLESS
YOU CHANGE AND BECCOME LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN,
YOU
WILL NEVER ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
4
THEREFORE, WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF
LIKE
THIS CHILD
IS
THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
5
AND WHOEVER WELCOMES A LITTLE CHILD LIKE THIS
IN
MY NAME WELCOMES ME.
6
BUT IF ANYONE CAUSES ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES
WHO
BELEIVE IN ME TO SIN,
IT
WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM
TO
HAVE A LARGE MILSTONE HUNG AROUND HIS NECK
AND
TO BE DROWNED IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA.
7
WOE TO THE WORLD
BECAUSE
OF THINGS THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO SIN!
SUCH
THINGS MUST COME,
BUT
WOE TO THE MAN THROUGH WHOM THEY COME!
8
IF YOUR HAND OR YOUR FOOT CAUSES YOU TO SIN,
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 FFET
AND
BE THROWN INTO ETERNAL FIRE.
9
AND IF YOUR EYE CASE YOU TO SIN,
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 Lost Sheep
10
'SEE THAT YOU DO NOT LOOK DOWN
ON
ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES.
FOR
I TELL YOU THAT THEIR ANGELS IN HEAVEN
ALWAYS
SEE THE FACE OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.
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?
13
And if he finds it,
I
tell you the Truth,
He
is Happier about that one Sheep
Than
about the Ninety-nine
That
did not Wander Off.
14
IN THE SAME WAY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
IS
NOT WILLING
THAT
ANY OF THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD BE LOST.'
A
Brother Who Sins Against You
15
'IF YOUR BROTHER SINS AGAINST YOU,
GO
AND SHOW HIM HIS FAULT,
JUST
BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU.
IF
HE LISTENS TO YOU,
YOU
HAVE WON YOUR BROTHER OVER.
16
BUT IF HE WILL NOT LISTEN,
TAKE
ONE OR TWO OTHERS ALONG,
SO
THAT EVERY MATTER MAY BE ESTABLISHED
BY
THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.
17
IF HE REFUSES TO LISTEN TO THEM,
TELL
IT TO THE CHURCH;
AND
IF HE REFUSES TO LISTEN
EVEN
TO THE CHURCH,
TREAT
HIM AS YOU WOULD A PAGAN OR TAX COLLECTOR.
18
I TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
WHATEVER
YOU BIND ON EARTH
WILL
BE BOUND IN HEAVEN,
AND
WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH
WILL
BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN.
20
FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE COME TO GETHER IN MY NAME,
THERE
AM I WITH THEM.'
The
Parable Of The Unmerciful Servant
21
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,
'LORD
HOW MANY TIMES SHALL I FORGIVE MY BROTHER
WHEN
HE SINS AGAINST ME?
UP
TO SEVEN TIMES?'
Jesus
answered,
'I
TELL YOU, NOT SEVEN TIMES,
BUT
SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES.
23
THEREFORE, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
IS
LIKE A KING
WHO
WANTED TO SETTLE ACCOUNTS WITH HIS SERVANTS.
24
AS HE BEGAIN THE SETTLEMENT,
A
MAN WHO OWED HIM TEN THOUSAND TALENTS
WAS
BROUGHT TO HIM.
25
SINCE 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
THE SERVANT FELL ON HIS KNEES BEFORE HIM.
'BE
PATIENT WITH ME,' HE BEGGED,
'AND
I WILL PAY BACK EVERYTNNG.'
27
THE SERVANT'S MASTER TOOK PITY ON HIM,
CANCELED
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 DENARII.
HE
GRABBED HIM AND BEGAN TO CHOKE HIM.
'PAY
BACK WHATYOU OWN ME!' HE DEMANDED.
29
HIS FELLOW SERVANT
FELL
TO HIS KNEES AND BEGGED HIM,
'BE
PATIENT WITH ME,
AND
I WILL PAY YOU BACK.'
30
BUT HE REFUSED.
INSTEAD,
HE WENT OFF
AND
HAD THE MAN THROWN INTO PRISON
UNTIL
HE COULD PAY THE DEBT.
31
WHEN THE OTHER SERVANTS
SAW
WHAT HAD HAPPENED,
THEY
WERE GREATLY DISTRESSED
AND
WENT AND TOLD THEIR MASTER EVERYTING
THAT
HAD HAPPENED.
32
THEN THE MASTER CALLED THE SERVANT IN.
'YOU
WICKED SERVANT,' HE SAID,
'I
CANCELED ALL THAT DEBT OF YOURS
BECAUSE
YOU BEGGED ME TO.
34
SHOULDN'T YOU HAVE HAD MERCY
ON
YOUR FELLOW SERVFANT
JUST
AS I HAD ON YOU?'
34
IN ANGER HIS MASTER
TURNED
HIM OVER TO THE JAILERS
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
FROM
YOUR HEART.'
(Matthew
18)
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