Matthew 18:1–20
1 aAt that 1time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “bWho then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 And He called a child to Himself and set him 1before them,
3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you 1are converted and abecome like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Whoever then humbles 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;
6 but awhoever bcauses one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it 1would be better for him to have a 2heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For ait is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!
8 “aIf 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 1to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.
9 “aIf your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than 1to have two eyes and be cast into the 2bfiery 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.
11 [“1aFor the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]
12 “What do you think? aIf any man has a 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 “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 “So it is not the will 1of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
15 “aIf your brother sins1, go and 2show him his fault 3in private; 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 “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 1a Gentile and 1a 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 2shall have been loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, ait shall be done for them 1by My Father who is in heaven.
20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, aI am there in their midst.”