1 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, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.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.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!8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, 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, 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.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 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.15 "If your brother or sister "sins, "go and point out their fault, 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.' [^4]17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.18 "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be "bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be "loosed in heaven.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 by my Father in heaven.20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?"22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. [^7]23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold "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 "At this the servant fell on his knees before him. '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. "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."

1 In illa hora accesserunt discipuli ad Jesum, dicentes : Quis, putas, major est in regno clorum ? 2 Et advocans Jesus parvulum, statuit eum in medio eorum, 3 et dixit : Amen dico vobis, nisi conversi fueritis, et efficiamini sicut parvuli, non intrabitis in regnum clorum. 4 Quicumque ergo humiliaverit se sicut parvulus iste, hic est major in regno clorum. 5 Et qui susceperit unum parvulum talem in nomine meo, me suscipit : 6 qui autem scandalizaverit unum de pusillis istis, qui in me credunt, expedit ei ut suspendatur mola asinaria in collo ejus, et demergatur in profundum maris. 7 V mundo a scandalis ! Necesse est enim ut veniant scandala : verumtamen v homini illi, per quem scandalum venit. 8 Si autem manus tua, vel pes tuus scandalizat te, abscide eum, et projice abs te : bonum tibi est ad vitam ingredi debilem, vel claudum, quam duas manus vel duos pedes habentem mitti in ignem ternum. 9 Et si oculus tuus scandalizat te, erue eum, et projice abs te : bonum tibi est cum uno oculo in vitam intrare, quam duos oculos habentem mitti in gehennam ignis. 10 Videte ne contemnatis unum ex his pusillis : dico enim vobis, quia angeli eorum in clis semper vident faciem Patris mei, qui in clis est. 11 Venit enim Filius hominis salvare quod perierat. 12 Quid vobis videtur ? si fuerint alicui centum oves, et erravit una ex eis : nonne relinquit nonaginta novem in montibus, et vadit qurere eam qu erravit ? 13 Et si contigerit ut inveniat eam : amen dico vobis, quia gaudet super eam magis quam super nonaginta novem, qu non erraverunt. 14 Sic non est voluntas ante Patrem vestrum, qui in clis est, ut pereat unus de pusillis istis.15 Si autem peccaverit in te frater tuus, vade, et corripe eum inter te, et ipsum solum : si te audierit, lucratus eris fratrem tuum. 16 Si autem te non audierit, adhibe tecum adhuc unum, vel duos, ut in ore duorum, vel trium testium stet omne verbum. 17 Quod si non audierit eos : dic ecclesi. Si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus. 18 Amen dico vobis, qucumque alligaveritis super terram, erunt ligata et in clo : et qucumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in clo. 19 Iterum dico vobis, quia si duo ex vobis consenserint super terram, de omni re quamcumque petierint, fiet illis a Patre meo, qui in clis est. 20 Ubi enim sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum.21 Tunc accedens Petrus ad eum, dixit : Domine, quoties peccabit in me frater meus, et dimittam ei ? usque septies ? 22 Dicit illi Jesus : Non dico tibi usque septies : sed usque septuagies septies. 23 Ideo assimilatum est regnum clorum homini regi, qui voluit rationem ponere cum servis suis. 24 Et cum cpisset rationem ponere, oblatus est ei unus, qui debebat ei decem millia talenta. 25 Cum autem non haberet unde redderet, jussit eum dominus ejus venundari, et uxorem ejus, et filios, et omnia qu habebat, et reddi. 26 Procidens autem servus ille, orabat eum, dicens : Patientiam habe in me, et omnia reddam tibi. 27 Misertus autem dominus servi illius, dimisit eum, et debitum dimisit ei. 28 Egressus autem servus ille invenit unum de conservis suis, qui debebat ei centum denarios : et tenens suffocavit eum, dicens : Redde quod debes. 29 Et procidens conservus ejus, rogabat eum, dicens : Patientiam habe in me, et omnia reddam tibi. 30 Ille autem noluit : sed abiit, et misit eum in carcerem donec redderet debitum. 31 Videntes autem conservi ejus qu fiebant, contristati sunt valde : et venerunt, et narraverunt domino suo omnia qu facta fuerant. 32 Tunc vocavit illum dominus suus : et ait illi : Serve nequam, omne debitum dimisi tibi quoniam rogasti me : 33 nonne ergo oportuit et te misereri conservi tui, sicut et ego tui misertus sum ? 34 Et iratus dominus ejus tradidit eum tortoribus, quoadusque redderet universum debitum. 35 Sic et Pater meus clestis faciet vobis, si non remiseritis unusquisque fratri suo de cordibus vestris.