# Matthew 18 (New King James Version)
Who Is the Greatest?

##### Chapter 18
###### 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

###### 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,  
###### 3 and said, **"Assuredly, I say to you,** **unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.**  
###### 4 **Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.**  
###### 5 **Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.**Jesus Warns of Offenses

###### 6 **"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.**  
###### 7 **Woe to the world because of** **offenses! For** **offenses must come, but** **woe to that man by whom the offense comes!**

###### 8 **"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast _it_ from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.**  
###### 9 **And if your eye causes you to sin, 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** **hell fire.**The Parable of the Lost Sheep

###### 10 **"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven** **their angels always** **see the face of My Father who is in heaven.**  
###### 11 **For** **the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.**

###### 12 **"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?**  
###### 13 **And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that _sheep_ than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.**  
###### 14 **Even so it is not the** **will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.**Dealing with a Sinning Brother

###### 15 **"Moreover** **if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you,** **you have gained your brother.**  
###### 16 **But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that** **'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'**  
###### 17 **And if he refuses to hear them, tell _it_ to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a** **heathen and a tax collector.**

###### 18 **"Assuredly, I say to you,** **whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.**

###### 19 **"Again** **I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask,** **it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.**  
###### 20 **For where two or three are gathered** **together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."**The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

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

###### 22 Jesus said to him, **"I do not say to you,** **up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.**  
###### 23 **Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.**  
###### 24 **And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.**  
###### 25 **But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded** **that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.**  
###### 26 **The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'**  
###### 27 **Then the master of that servant was 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 a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on 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 pay you** **all.'**  
###### 30 **And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.**  
###### 31 **So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.**  
###### 32 **Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you** **all that debt because you begged me.**  
###### 33 **Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'**  
###### 34 **And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.**

###### 35 **"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother** **his trespasses."**