Matthew 18:1-20
Who Is Greatest in Heaven?
18aAt that 1time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “bWho then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And He called a child to Himself and set him 1before them, 3and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you 1are converted and abecome like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4“Whoever therefore will humble himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5“And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6but awhoever bcauses one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a 1heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Stumbling Blocks
7“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For ait is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; nevertheless, woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!
8“aAnd if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. 9“aAnd if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into the 1,bfiery hell.
10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that atheir angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 111[“aFor the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
12“What do you think? aIf any man has one hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13“And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14“In this way, it is not the will 1of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
If Your Brother Sins
15“aNow if your brother sins1, go and 2show him his fault, between you and him alone; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that aby the mouth of two or three witnesses every 1fact may be confirmed. 17“And if he refuses to listen to them, atell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, blet him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector. 18“Truly I say to you, awhatever you 1bind on earth 2shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you 3loose on earth 4shall have been loosed in heaven.