Sin, Forgiveness, Faith, and Service
1 And he said to his disciples, "It is impossible for causes for stumbling not to come, but woe [to him] through whom they come!
2
It would be better for him if {a millstone} is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea than that he causes one of these little ones to sin.
3
"Be concerned about yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
4
And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times he returns to you saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."
5
And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
6
So the Lord said, "If you have faith like a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
7
"And which of you who has a slave plowing or shepherding [sheep] who comes in from the field will say to him, 'Come here at once [and] recline at the table'?
8
Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something that I may eat, and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and after these [things] you will eat and drink.'
9
He will not {be grateful} to the slave because he did what was ordered, [will he]?
10
Thus you also, when you have done all the {things you were ordered to do}, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done what we were obligated to do.'"