1 At that hour the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child to him, set him in their midst, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 So whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin—it would be better for him to have a millstone turned by a donkey hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of causes of sin! For causes of sin must come, but woe to the person through whom the cause of sin comes!

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 lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear 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.

10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 11 [For the Son of Man came to save what was lost.] 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that strayed? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 If your brother sins against you, go and point out his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that every matter may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.”

21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I tell you, not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began to settle them, one was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents. 25 Since he had nothing with which to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell down before him and pleaded, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ 27 Moved with compassion, the master of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, about a hundred days’ wages. He seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 His fellow slave fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had him thrown into prison until he paid what was owed. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved. They went and reported to their master all that had happened. 32 Then his master called him and said, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 In anger, his master handed him over to the torturers until he paid all that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”