Matthew

天國裏最偉大的人

1當時，門徒進前來，問耶穌說：「天國裏誰是最大的？」

2耶穌便叫一個小孩子來，使他站在他們當中，

3說：「我實在告訴你們，你們若不回轉，變成小孩子的樣式，斷不得進天國。

4所以，凡自己謙卑像這小孩子的，他在天國裏就是最大的。

5凡為我的名接待一個像這小孩子的，就是接待我。」

罪的誘惑

6「凡使這信我的一個小子跌倒的，倒不如把大磨石拴在這人的頸項上，沉在深海裏。

7這世界有禍了，因為將人絆倒；絆倒人的事是免不了的，但那絆倒人的有禍了！

8倘若你一隻手，或是一隻腳，叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉。你缺一隻手，或是一隻腳，進入永生，強如有兩手兩腳被丟在永火裏。

9倘若你一隻眼叫你跌倒，就把它剜出來丟掉。你只有一隻眼進入永生，強如有兩隻眼被丟在地獄的火裏。」

迷羊的比喻

10「你們要小心，不可輕看這小子裏的一個；我告訴你們，他們的使者在天上，常見我天父的面。

12一個人若有一百隻羊，一隻走迷了路，你們的意思如何？他豈不撇下這九十九隻，往山裏去找那隻迷路的羊嗎？

13若是找着了，我實在告訴你們，他為這一隻羊歡喜，比為那沒有迷路的九十九隻歡喜還大呢！

14你們在天上的父也是這樣，不願意這小子裏失喪一個。」

如何對待犯過錯的弟兄

15「倘若你的弟兄得罪你，你就去，趁着只有他和你在一處的時候，指出他的錯來。他若聽你，你便得了你的弟兄；

16他若不聽，你就另外帶一兩個人同去，要憑兩三個人的口作見證，句句都可定準。

17若是不聽他們，就告訴教會；若是不聽教會，就看他像外邦人和稅吏一樣。

18「我實在告訴你們，凡你們在地上所捆綁的，在天上也要捆綁；凡你們在地上所釋放的，在天上也要釋放。

19我又告訴你們，若是你們中間有兩個人在地上同心合意地求甚麼事，我在天上的父必為他們成全。

20因為無論在哪裏，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裏就有我在他們中間。」

不饒恕人的惡僕

21那時，彼得進前來，對耶穌說：「主啊，我弟兄得罪我，我當饒恕他幾次呢？到七次可以嗎？」

22耶穌說：「我對你說，不是到七次，乃是到七十個七次。

23天國好像一個王要和他僕人算帳。

24才算的時候，有人帶了一個欠一千萬銀子的來。

25因為他沒有甚麼償還之物，主人吩咐把他和他妻子兒女，並一切所有的都賣了償還。

26那僕人就俯伏拜他，說：『主啊，寬容我，將來我都要還清。』

27那僕人的主人就動了慈心，把他釋放了，並且免了他的債。

28「那僕人出來，遇見他的一個同伴欠他十兩銀子，便揪着他，掐住他的喉嚨，說：『你把所欠的還我！』

29他的同伴就俯伏央求他，說：『寬容我吧，將來我必還清。』

30他不肯，竟去把他下在監裏，等他還了所欠的債。

31眾同伴看見他所做的事就甚憂愁，去把這事都告訴了主人。

32於是主人叫了他來，對他說：『你這惡奴才！你央求我，我就把你所欠的都免了，

33你不應當憐恤你的同伴，像我憐恤你嗎？』

34主人就大怒，把他交給掌刑的，等他還清了所欠的債。

35你們各人若不從心裏饒恕你的弟兄，我天父也要這樣待你們了。」

The Greatest in the Kingdom

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

2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.

3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

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

5And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

Temptations and Trespasses

6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

10See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?

13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

A Brother Who Sins

15If your brother sins against you,go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Ask in My Name

19Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.

20For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

The Unforgiving Servant

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

23Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

26Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

29So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

30But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

31When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

32Then the master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.

33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’

34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

35That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”