The Question About Who Is Greatest

¹ At that time the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

² And calling a child to himself, he had him stand in their midst

³ and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

⁴ Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child, this person is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,

⁵ and whoever welcomes one child such as this in my name welcomes me.

⁶ But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him that ⌞a large millstone⌟¹ be hung on² his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea.

1. Literally “a millstone of a donkey”
2. Some manuscripts have “around”

⁷ Woe to the world because of causes for stumbling, for it is a necessity that causes for stumbling come; nevertheless, woe to the person through whom the cause for stumbling comes.

⁸ And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it¹ from you! It is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the eternal fire!

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it¹ from you! It is better for you to enter into life one-eyed than, having two eyes, to be thrown into fiery hell!

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹⁰ “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven constantly see the face of my Father who is in heaven.¹

1. Many later Greek manuscripts include vs. 11, “For the Son of Man came to save those who are lost.”

¹² What do you think? If ⌞a certain man has⌟¹ a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and² look for the one that wandered away?

1. Literally “there are to a certain man”
2. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb

¹³ And if he happens to find it, truly I say to you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not wander away.

¹⁴ In the same way it is not the will ⌞of⌟¹ your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

1. Literally “in the presence of”

Confronting a Brother Who Sins Against You

¹⁵ “Now if your brother sins against you, go correct him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take with you in addition one or two others, so that by ⌞the testimony⌟¹ of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.

1. Literally “the mouth”

¹⁷ And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it¹ to the church. But if he refuses to listen to the church also, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

¹⁸ “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven.

¹⁹ Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father who is in heaven.

²⁰ For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave

²¹ Then Peter came up to him and¹ said,² “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?”

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb
2. Some manuscripts have “Then Peter came up and said to him”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!¹

1. Or “seventy-seven times”

²³ “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

²⁴ And when¹ he began to settle them,² someone was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“began”)
2. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

²⁵ And because¹ he did not have enough² to repay it,³ the master ordered him to be sold, and his⁴ wife and his⁵ children and everything that he had, and to be repaid.

1. *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
2. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
3. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
4. *Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
5. *Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun

²⁶ Then the slave threw himself to the ground and¹ began to do obeisance to him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything to you!’

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“threw himself to the ground”) has been translated as a finite verb

²⁷ So the master of that slave, because he¹ had compassion, released him and forgave him the loan.

1. *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had compassion”) which is understood as causal

²⁸ But that slave went out and¹ found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and taking hold of him, he began to choke him,² saying, ‘Pay back everything that you owe!’

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
2. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

²⁹ Then his fellow slave threw himself to the ground and¹ began to implore² him, saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!’

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“threw himself to the ground”) has been translated as a finite verb
2. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to implore”)

³⁰ But he did not want to, but rather he went and¹ threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed.

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went”) has been translated as a finite verb

³¹ So when¹ his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed, and went and² reported to their master everything that had happened.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went”) has been translated as a finite verb

³² Then his master summoned him and¹ said to him, ‘Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me!

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“summoned”) has been translated as a finite verb

³³ Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?’

³⁴ And because he¹ was angry, his master handed him over to the merciless jailers² until he would repay everything that was owed.

1. *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was angry”) which is understood as causal
2. Or “torturers”

³⁵ So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!”