Matthew 18 - New International Version (NIV)

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven(A)

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,(B) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(C) 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.(D) 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.(E)

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 around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.(F) 7 Woe 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!(G) 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,(H) 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. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble,(I) 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.(J)

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep(K)

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels(L) in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11] [a]

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, truly I tell you, 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 perish.

Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault,(M) just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But 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.’[d](N) 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(O) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(P)

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.(Q)

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(R) by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”(S)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?(T) Up to seven times?”(U)

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g](V)

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like(W) a king who wanted to settle accounts(X) with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay,(Y) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold(Z) to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.(AA) ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 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 silver coins.[i] 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. 31 When 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 canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In 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.”(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.
  2. Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
  3. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
  4. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
  5. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  6. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  7. Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
  8. Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
  9. Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).

Cross references

  1. Matthew 18:1 : 18:1-5pp — Mk 9:33-37; Lk 9:46-48
  2. Matthew 18:3 : Mt 19:14; 1Pe 2:2
  3. Matthew 18:3 : S Mt 3:2
  4. Matthew 18:4 : S Mk 9:35
  5. Matthew 18:5 : Mt 10:40
  6. Matthew 18:6 : Mk 9:42; Lk 17:2
  7. Matthew 18:7 : Lk 17:1
  8. Matthew 18:8 : S Mt 5:29
  9. Matthew 18:9 : S Mt 5:29
  10. Matthew 18:9 : S Mt 5:22
  11. Matthew 18:10 : 18:12-14pp — Lk 15:4-7
  12. Matthew 18:10 : Ge 48:16; Ps 34:7; Ac 12:11, 15; Heb 1:14
  13. Matthew 18:15 : Lev 19:17; Lk 17:3; Gal 6:1; Jas 5:19, 20
  14. Matthew 18:16 : Nu 35:30; Dt 17:6; 19:15; Jn 8:17; 2Co 13:1; 1Ti 5:19; Heb 10:28
  15. Matthew 18:17 : 1Co 6:1-6
  16. Matthew 18:17 : S Ro 16:17
  17. Matthew 18:18 : Mt 16:19; Jn 20:23
  18. Matthew 18:19 : S Mt 7:7
  19. Matthew 18:20 : S Mt 28:20
  20. Matthew 18:21 : S Mt 6:14
  21. Matthew 18:21 : Lk 17:4
  22. Matthew 18:22 : Ge 4:24
  23. Matthew 18:23 : S Mt 13:24
  24. Matthew 18:23 : Mt 25:19
  25. Matthew 18:25 : Lk 7:42
  26. Matthew 18:25 : Lev 25:39; 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:5, 8
  27. Matthew 18:26 : S Mt 8:2
  28. Matthew 18:35 : S Mt 6:14; S Jas 2:13

You Might Also Like:

Matthew 18 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

18 At that hour came the disciples near to Jesus, saying, `Who, now, is greater in the reign of the heavens?' 2 And Jesus having called near a child, did set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, `Verily I say to you, if ye may not be turned and become as the children, ye may not enter into the reig...
Read More

Matthew 18 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

18 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, and said [saying], Who, guessest thou, is [the] greater in the kingdom of heavens? 2 And Jesus called a little child, and put him in the middle of them; [And Jesus, calling a little child, set him in the midst of them;] 3 and said, I say truth to you [a...
Read More

Matthew 18 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

18 The disciples came to Jesus at that time. They said, `Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' 2 Jesus called a child to him. He had the child stand in front of them. 3 He said, `I tell you the truth. If your hearts do not change and become like hearts of children, you will never go into th...
Read More

Matthew 18 - World English Bible (WEB)

18 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 Jesus 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 ...
Read More

Matthew 18 - The Voice (VOICE)

18 Around that same time, the disciples came to Jesus and questioned Him about the kingdom of heaven.A Disciple: In the kingdom of heaven, who is the greatest? The disciples struggle with the concept of the kingdom of heaven. They do not yet understand that who is most important or most powerful is ...
Read More

Matthew 18 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Childlike Humility18 At that hour the disciples came to Yeshua, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Amen, I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you shall never enter the kingdom of he...
Read More

Matthew 18 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

True Greatness18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ...
Read More

Matthew 18 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

True Greatness18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ...
Read More

Matthew 18 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

18 At the same time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 And Jesus called a little child to Him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the ...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Humility and Danger18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus.‘So, then,’ they said, ‘who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ 2 Jesus called a child and stood her in the middle of them. 3 ‘I’m telling you the truth,’ he said. ‘Unless you turn inside out and become like children, you will nev...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

True Greatness18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever become...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

True Greatness18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(A)4 Whoever becomes...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

He teaches his disciples to be humble and harmless, to avoid occasions of inducement to sin, and to forgive one another their offences. 18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 Jesus called a child to him, and set him in the midst of them,...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Greatest in the Kingdom18 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, y...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jesus Teaches about the Faith of a Child (A)18 At that time the followers came to Jesus. They said, “Who is the greatest in the holy nation of heaven?” 2 Jesus took a little child and put him among them. 3 He said, “For sure, I tell you, unless you have a change of heart and become like a little c...
Read More

Matthew 18 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Who Is the Greatest?(A)18 At (B)that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little (C)child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, (D)unless you are converted and become as little children...
Read More