Matthew 18:5-17 And the person who welcomes one little child like this, in my name i.e., because he belongs to me, welcomes me also.

AUV⁽ⁱ⁾ ⁵ And the person who welcomes one little child like this, in my name [i.e., because he belongs to me], welcomes me [also]. ⁶ But that person who causes one of these little ones [i.e., humble followers of the Lord] who believes in me to be led astray [from God], he would have been better off to have had a huge millstone tied around his neck and dumped into a deep ocean [Note: This “millstone” was a heavy circular stone rolled over grain to crush it and was moved by an animal walking in a circle]. ⁷ “It will be too bad for the world because of occasions that cause people to fall away [from God]! For it is inevitable that such occasions come, but it is too bad for that person who is responsible for causing it to happen. ⁸ If your hand or your foot becomes the occasion for you falling away [from God], cut them off and throw them away. It would be better for you to enter [never ending] life disabled or crippled, rather than keeping both hands and both feet and being thrown into the never ending fire [i.e., because they caused you to fall away from God]. ⁹ And if your eye becomes the occasion for you falling away [from God], gouge it out and throw it away, for it would be better for you to enter [never ending] life with [only] one eye, rather than keeping both eyes and being thrown into a fiery hell [i.e., because one of them caused you to fall away from God]. ¹⁰ Make sure you do not look down on any one of these little ones [i.e., humble followers of Christ]. For I tell you, their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. {[{[Some ancient manuscripts include verse ¹¹ For the Son of man came to save those who were lost.]}]} ¹² What do you think? If anyone had a hundred sheep, and one of them wandered away, would he not leave the ninety-nine [safe ones] and go to the mountains looking for the one that wandered away? ¹³ Truly I tell you, if he happens to find it, he is happier over it than over the ninety-nine that had not wandered away. ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that [a single] one of these little ones [i.e., humble followers of Christ] should be lost. ¹⁵ “And if your brother sins against you, go and show him where he wronged you, [but] keep it between just the two of you. If he listens to you [i.e., accepts your reasoning and repents], you have won your brother [back]. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen [to your reasoning], take one or two other people with you, so that two or three witnesses can verify every word [that was said]. ¹⁷ And if he refuses to listen to them [i.e., the witnesses], explain the [whole] matter to the church [i.e., probably a specially called meeting of mature Christians to resolve the matter]. And if he refuses to listen to the church also, [i.e., to acknowledge his sin and repent of it], consider him like an [unconverted] Gentile or tax collector [i.e., do not have fellowship with him].