18:1  AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

18:2  And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,

18:3  And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

18:4  Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

18:5  And whoever receives {and} accepts {and} welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives {and} accepts {and} welcomes Me.

18:6  But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in {and} acknowledge {and} cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.

18:7  Woe to the world for such temptations to sin {and} influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account {or} by whom the temptation comes!

18:8  And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble {and} sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

18:9  And if your eye causes you to stumble {and} sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire.

18:10  Beware that you do not despise {or} feel scornful toward {or} think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of {and} look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven.

18:11  {For the Son of man came to save [from the penalty of eternal death] that which was lost.

18:12  What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray {and} gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?

18:13  And if it should be that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.

18:14  Just so it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost {and} perish.

18:15  If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

18:16  But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed {and} upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

18:17  If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.

18:18  Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid {and} declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit {and} declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.

18:19  Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass {and} be done for them by My Father in heaven.

18:20  For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them.

18:21  Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him {and} let it go? [As many as] up to seven times?

18:22  Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!

18:23  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants.

18:24  When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [probably about $10,000,000],

18:25  And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.

18:26  So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.

18:27  And his master's heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [cancelling] the debt.

18:28  But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe!

18:29  So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you {all} !

18:30  But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt.

18:31  When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master.

18:32  Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible {and} wicked attendant! I forgave {and} cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to.

18:33  And should you not have had pity {and} mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity {and} mercy on you?

18:34  And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed.

18:35  So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart {his offenses.}