Exodus 19; Exodus 20; Matthew 18:21-35

1 In the third month, on the same day [of the month] that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai.

2 After they departed from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

3 Moses went up [the mountain] to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: "This is what you must say to the house of Jacob, and explain to the Israelites:

4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Me.

5 Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine,

6 and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation. These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites."

7 After Moses came back, He summoned the elders of the people, and put before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him.

8 Then all the people responded together, "We will do all that the Lord has spoken." So Moses brought the people's words back to the Lord.

9 The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you." Then Moses reported the people's words to the Lord.

10 And the Lord told Moses, "Go to the people and purify them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes

11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

12 Put boundaries for the people all around the [mountain] and say: Be careful that you don't go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death.

13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot [with arrows], neither animal or man will live. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain."

14 Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

15 He said to the people, "Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women."

16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.

17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.

19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up.

21 The Lord directed Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die.

22 Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves or the Lord will break out [in anger] against them."

23 But Moses responded to the Lord, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy."

24 And the Lord replied to him, "Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out [in anger] against them."

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

1 Then God spoke all these words:

2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

3 Do not have other gods besides Me.

4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.

5 You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers' sin, to the third and fourth [generations] of those who hate Me,

6 but showing faithful love to a thousand [generations] of those who love Me and keep My commands.

7 Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will punish anyone who misuses His name.

8 Remember to dedicate the Sabbath day:

9 You are to labor six days and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work-you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates.

11 For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

12 Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 Do not murder.

14 Do not commit adultery.

15 Do not steal.

16 Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain [surrounded by] smoke. When the people saw [it] they trembled and stood at a distance.

19 "You speak to us, and we will listen," they said to Moses, "but don't let God speak to us, or we will die."

20 Moses responded to the people, "Don't be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear Him and will not sin."

21 And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

22 Then the Lord told Moses, "This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven.

23 You must not make gods of silver to rival Me; you must not make [gods of gold] for yourselves.

24 "You must make an earthen altar for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, as well as your cattle. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered.

25 If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it.

26 You must not go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

22 "I tell you, not as many as seven," Jesus said to him, "but 70 times seven.

23 For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him.

25 Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt.

26 "At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!'

27 Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.

28 "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, 'Pay what you owe!'

29 "At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

30 But he wasn't willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed.

31 When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened.

32 "Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

33 Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'

34 And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers until he could pay everything that was owed.

35 So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart."