Matthew 18:11-21

11

12 "If a man has a hundred sheep but one of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other ninety-nine on the hill and go to look for the lost sheep.

13 I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that were never lost.

14 In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost.

15 "If your fellow believer sins against you, go and tell him in private what he did wrong. If he listens to you, you have helped that person to be your brother or sister again.

16 But if he refuses to listen, go to him again and take one or two other people with you. 'Every case may be proved by two or three witnesses.'

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, then treat him like a person who does not believe in God or like a tax collector.

18 "I tell you the truth, the things you don't allow on earth will be the things God does not allow. And the things you allow on earth will be the things that God allows.

19 "Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

20 This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them."

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, when my fellow believer sins against me, how many times must I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as seven times?"