Matthew 18–20

18In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? ²And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, ³and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me: ⁶but whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.

⁷Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh! ⁸And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. ⁹And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. ¹⁰See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. ¹¹For the Son of man came to save that which was lost. ¹²How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray? ¹³And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray. ¹⁴Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

¹⁵And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. ¹⁶But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. ¹⁷And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. ¹⁸Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

²¹Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? ²²Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. ²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants. ²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. ²⁹So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. ³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due. ³¹So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³²Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: ³³shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? ³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. ³⁵So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

19And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judaea beyond the Jordan; ²and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

³And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? ⁴And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? ⁶So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁷They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁸He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. ⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. ¹⁰The disciples say unto him, If the case of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. ¹¹But he said unto them, Not all men can receive this saying, but they to whom it is given. ¹²For there are eunuchs, that were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, that were made eunuchs by men: and there are eunuchs, that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

¹³Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should lay his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

¹⁶And behold, one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? ¹⁷And he said unto him, Why askest thou me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good: but if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ²⁰The young man saith unto him, All these things have I observed: what lack I yet? ²¹Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. ²²But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sorrowful; for he was one that had great possessions.

²³And Jesus said unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁵And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁶And Jesus looking upon them said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. ²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee; what then shall we have? ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And every one that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many shall be last that are first; and first that are last.

20For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. ²And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; ⁴and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. ⁵Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. ⁶And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? ⁷They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard. ⁸And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. ⁹And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a shilling. ¹⁰And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling. ¹¹And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, ¹²saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. ¹³But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling? ¹⁴Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. ¹⁵Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? ¹⁶So the last shall be first,…