Matthew 18

1 At that moment the talmidim came to Yeshua and asked, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

2 He called a child to him, stood him among them,

3 and said, "Yes! I tell you that unless you change and become like little children, you won't even enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

4 So the greatest in the Kingdom is who ever makes himself as humble as this child.

5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me;

6 and whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea!

7 Woe to the world because of snares! For there must be snares, but woe to the person who sets the snare!

8 "So if your hand or foot becomes a snare for you, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should be maimed or crippled and obtain eternal life than keep both hands or both feet and be thrown into everlasting fire!

9 And if your eye is a snare for you, gouge it out and fling it away! Better that you should be oneeyed and obtain eternal life than keep both eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gei Hinnom.

10 See that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually seeing the face of my Father in heaven.

11 Some manuscripts include verse 11: For the Son of Man came to save the lost.

12 "What's your opinion? What will somebody do who has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away? Won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hillsides and go off to find the stray?

13 And if he happens to find it? Yes! I tell you he is happier over it than over the ninety-nine that never strayed!

14 Thus your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to be lost.

15 "Moreover, if your brother commits a sin against you, go and show him his fault -- but privately, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

16 If he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation can be supported by the testimony of two or three witnesses.l

17 If he refuses to hear them, tell the congregation; and if he refuses to listen even to the congregation, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-collector.

18 Yes! I tell you people that whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

19 To repeat, I tell you that if two of you here on earth agree about anything people ask, it will be for them from my Father in heaven.

20 For wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am there with them."

21 Then Kefa came up and said to him, "Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?"

22 "No, not seven times," answered Yeshua, "but seventy times seven!

23 Because of this, the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared with a king who decided to settle accounts with his deputies.

24 Right away they brought forward a man who owed him many millions;

25 and since he couldn't pay, his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold to pay the debt.

26 But the servant fell down before him. `Be patient with me,' he begged, `and I will pay back everything.'

27 So out of pity for him, the master let him go and forgave the debt.

28 "But as that servant was leaving, he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him some tiny sum. He grabbed him and began to choke him, crying, `Pay back what you owe me!'

29 His fellow servant fell before him and begged, `Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

30 But he refused; instead, he had him thrown in jail until he should repay the debt.

31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed; and they went and told their master every thing that had taken place.

32 Then the master summoned his servant and said, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt just because you begged me to do it.

33 Shouldn't you have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

34 And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers for punishment until he paid back everything he owed.

35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts."

PREVIOUS Matthew 17 NEXT Matthew 19

Images for Matthew 18

Videos for Matthew 18

Why Would I Forgive Someone “Seventy Times Seven” (Matthew 18:21-22)?

Matthew 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

The importance of humility. (1-6) Caution against offences. (7-14) The removal of offences. (15-20) Conduct towards brethren, The parable of the unmerciful servant. (21-35)

Verses 1-6 Christ spoke many words of his sufferings, but only one of his glory; yet the disciples fasten upon that, and overlook the others. Many love to hear and speak of privileges and glory, who are willing to pass by the thoughts of work and trouble. Our Lord set a little child before them, solemnly assuring them, that unless they were converted and made like little children, they could not enter his kingdom. Children, when very young, do not desire authority, do not regard outward distinctions, are free from malice, are teachable, and willingly dependent on their parents. It is true that they soon begin to show other dispositions, and other ideas are taught them at an early age; but these are marks of childhood, and render them proper emblems of the lowly minds of true Christians. Surely we need to be daily renewed in the spirit of our minds, that we may become simple and humble, as little children, and willing to be the least of all. Let us daily study this subject, and examine our own spirits.

Verses 7-14 Considering the cunning and malice of Satan, and the weakness and depravity of men's hearts, it is not possible but that there should be offences. God permits them for wise and holy ends, that those who are sincere, and those who are not, may be made known. Being told before, that there will be seducers, tempters, persecutors, and bad examples, let us stand on our guard. We must, as far as lawfully we may, part with what we cannot keep without being entangled by it in sin. The outward occasions of sin must be avoided. If we live after the flesh, we must die. If we, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. Christ came into the world to save souls, and he will reckon severely with those who hinder the progress of others who are setting their faces heavenward. And shall any of us refuse attention to those whom the Son of God came to seek and to save? A father takes care of all his children, but is particularly tender of the little ones.

Verses 15-20 If a professed Christian is wronged by another, he ought not to complain of it to others, as is often done merely upon report, but to go to the offender privately, state the matter kindly, and show him his conduct. This would generally have all the desired effect with a true Christian, and the parties would be reconciled. The principles of these rules may be practised every where, and under all circumstances, though they are too much neglected by all. But how few try the method which Christ has expressly enjoined to all his disciples! In all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer; we cannot too highly prize the promises of God. Wherever and whenever we meet in the name of Christ, we should consider him as present in the midst of us.

Verses 21-35 Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable: 1. The master's wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin, to be sold as a slave. It is the folly of many who are under strong convictions of their sins, to fancy they can make God satisfaction for the wrong they have done him. 2. The servant's unreasonable severity toward his fellow-servant, notwithstanding his lord's clemency toward him. Not that we may make light of wronging our neighbour, for that is also a sin against God; but we should not aggravate our neighbour's wronging us, nor study revenge. Let our complaints, both of the wickedness of the wicked, and of the afflictions of the afflicted, be brought to God, and left with him. 3. The master reproved his servant's cruelty. The greatness of sin magnifies the riches of pardoning mercy; and the comfortable sense of pardoning mercy, does much to dispose our hearts to forgive our brethren. We are not to suppose that God actually forgives men, and afterwards reckons their guilt to them to condemn them; but this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusions many draw as to their sins being pardoned, though their after-conduct shows that they never entered into the spirit, or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel. We do not forgive our offending brother aright, if we do not forgive from the heart. Yet this is not enough; we must seek the welfare even of those who offend us. How justly will those be condemned, who, though they bear the Christian name, persist in unmerciful treatment of their brethren! The humbled sinner relies only on free, abounding mercy, through the ransom of the death of Christ. Let us seek more and more for the renewing grace of God, to teach us to forgive others as we hope for forgiveness from him.