1 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 Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child 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 if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.

7 "Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire. 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 one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 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 back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word 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 Gentile 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 in the middle of them."

21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?"

22 Jesus said to him, "I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But because he couldn’t pay, his lord 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, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ 27 The lord 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 one hundred 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 He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord 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 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."

1 In daardie uur het die dissipels na Jesus gekom en gesê: Wie is tog die grootste in die koninkryk van die hemele?

2 Toe roep Jesus 'n kindjie na Hom en laat hom in hulle midde staan

3 en Hy sê: Voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, as julle nie verander en soos die kindertjies word nie, sal julle nooit in die koninkryk van die hemele ingaan nie!

4 Elkeen dan wat homself verneder soos hierdie kindjie, hy is die grootste in die koninkryk van die hemele.

5 En elkeen wat een van sulke kindertjies in my Naam ontvang, ontvang My;

6 maar elkeen wat een van hierdie kleintjies wat in My glo, laat struikel, dit is vir hom beter dat 'n meulsteen aan sy nek gehang word en hy wegsink in die diepte van die see.

7 Wee die wêreld weens die struikelblokke! Want dit is noodsaaklik dat daar struikelblokke kom, maar wee die mens deur wie die struikelblok kom.

8 En as jou hand of jou voet jou laat struikel, kap dit af en gooi dit weg van jou af; dit is vir jou beter om in die lewe in te gaan, kreupel of vermink, as om twee hande of voete te hê en in die ewige vuur gewerp te word.

9 En as jou oog jou laat struikel, ruk dit uit en werp dit weg van jou af. Dit is vir jou beter om met een oog in die lewe in te gaan, as om twee oë te hê en in die helse vuur gewerp te word.

10 Pas op dat julle nie een van hierdie kleintjies verag nie; want Ek sê vir julle dat hulle engele in die hemele altyd die aangesig sien van my Vader wat in die hemele is.

11 Want die Seun van die mens het gekom om te red wat verlore is.

12 Wat dink julle? As iemand honderd skape het en een van hulle verdwaal, sal hy nie die nege en negentig laat staan en op die berge die verdwaalde een gaan soek nie?

13 En as hy hom kry, voorwaar Ek sê vir julle dat hy blyer is oor hom as oor die nege en negentig wat nie verdwaal het nie.

14 So is dit nie die wil van julle Vader wat in die hemele is, dat een van hierdie kleintjies verlore gaan nie.

15 En as jou broeder teen jou sondig, gaan bestraf hom tussen jou en hom alleen. As hy na jou luister, dan het jy jou broeder gewin;

16 maar as hy nie luister nie, neem nog een of twee met jou saam, sodat in die mond van twee of drie getuies elke woord kan vasstaan.

17 En as hy na hulle nie luister nie, sê dit aan die gemeente; en as hy na die gemeente ook nie luister nie, laat hom vir jou wees soos die heiden en die tollenaar.

18 Voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, alles wat julle op die aarde bind, sal in die hemel gebonde wees; en alles wat julle op die aarde ontbind, sal in die hemel ontbonde wees.

19 Weer sê Ek vir julle: As twee van julle saamstem op die aarde oor enige saak wat hulle mag vra, dit sal hulle ten deel val van my Vader wat in die hemele is.

20 Want waar twee of drie in my Naam vergader, daar is Ek in hul midde.

21 Toe kom Petrus na Hom en sê: Here, hoe dikwels sal my broeder teen my sondig en ek hom vergewe? Tot sewe maal toe?

22 Jesus antwoord hom: Ek sê vir jou, nie tot sewe maal toe nie, maar tot sewentig maal sewe toe.

23 Daarom word die koninkryk van die hemele vergelyk met 'n sekere koning wat met sy diensknegte wou afreken.

24 En toe hy begin afreken, word daar een na hom gebring wat tien duisend talente skuldig was.

25 En omdat hy nie kon betaal nie, gee sy heer bevel dat hy verkoop moet word, en sy vrou en sy kinders en alles wat hy het, en dat betaal moet word.

26 Toe val die dienskneg neer en buig voor hom en sê: Heer, wees lankmoedig met my, en ek sal u alles betaal.

27 En die heer van daardie dienskneg het innig jammer vir hom gevoel en hom losgelaat en hom die skuld kwytgeskeld.

28 Maar toe daardie dienskneg uitgaan en een van sy medediensknegte vind wat hom honderd pennings skuldig was, het hy hom aan die keel gegryp en gesê: Betaal my wat jy skuld.

29 Sy mededienskneg val toe voor sy voete neer en smeek hom en sê: Wees lankmoedig met my, en ek sal jou alles betaal.

30 En hy wou nie, maar het gegaan en hom in die gevangenis gewerp totdat hy die skuld sou betaal het.

31 En toe sy medediensknegte sien wat gebeur het, was hulle baie bedroef, en hulle het gegaan en aan hulle heer meegedeel alles wat gebeur het.

32 Daarop roep sy heer hom en sê vir hom: Jou slegte dienskneg, al daardie skuld het ek jou kwytgeskeld, omdat jy my gesmeek het;

33 moes jy nie jou mededienskneg ook barmhartig wees soos ek jou ook barmhartig gewees het nie?

34 En sy heer het hom in toorn oorgegee aan die pynigers totdat hy sou betaal het alles wat hy hom skuldig was.

35 So sal ook my hemelse Vader aan julle doen as julle nie elkeen sy broeder van harte sy oortredinge vergewe nie.