Matthew 18:1-21:46 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

NHEB⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" ² He called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them, ³ and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, ⁶ but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea. ⁷ "Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks. For there will always be something to cause people to stumble, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes. ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you.[note: Hyperbole, or Semitic idiom, meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire. ⁹ If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you.[note: Hyperbole, or Semitic idiom, meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the fire of hell. ¹⁰ See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. ¹¹ ¹² "What do you think? If someone has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? ¹³ If he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. ¹⁴ Even so it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. ¹⁵ "If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you as an unbeliever or a tax collector. ¹⁸ Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹ Again, truly I tell you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." ²¹ Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often can my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" ²² Jesus said to him, "I do not tell you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. ²⁴ When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But because he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all.' ²⁷ The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ "But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' ²⁹ "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you all.' ³⁰ He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. ³² Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant. I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' ³⁴ His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due. ³⁵ So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you do not each forgive your brother his trespasses from your heart." ¹⁹ ¹ It happened when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. ³ And Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying to him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce a wife for any reason?" ⁴ He answered, and said, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵ and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and the two will become one flesh?' ⁶ So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no one separate." ⁷ They asked him, "Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce, and divorce her?" ⁸ He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. ⁹ I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery. And he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery." ¹⁰ The disciples said to him, "If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is not expedient to marry." ¹¹ But he said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it." ¹³ Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But Jesus said, "Allow the little children, and do not forbid them to come to me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to ones like these." ¹⁵ He placed his hands on them, and departed from there. ¹⁶ And look, someone came to him and said, "Teacher, what good thing must I do, that I may have everlasting life?" ¹⁷ He said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? No one is good but one. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." ¹⁸ He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "'Do not murder.' 'Do not commit adultery.' 'Do not steal.' 'Do not offer false testimony.' ¹⁹ 'Honor your father and mother.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" ²⁰ The young man said to him, "All these things I have kept. What do I still lack?" ²¹ Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." ²² But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. ²³ Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich person to enter into the Kingdom of God." ²⁵ When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" ²⁶ Looking at them, Jesus said, "With humans this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." ²⁷ Then Peter answered, "Look, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?" ²⁸ Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit everlasting life. ³⁰ But many will be last who are first; and first who are last. ²⁰ ¹ "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ He went out about nine in the morning, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. ⁴ To them he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went their way. ⁵ Again he went out about noon and at three in the afternoon, and did likewise. ⁶ About five that afternoon he went out, and found others standing. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?' ⁷ "They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' "He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' ⁸ When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.' ⁹ "When those who were hired at about five in the afternoon came, they each received a denarius. ¹⁰ When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. ¹¹ When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, ¹² saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' ¹³ "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?' ¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen." ¹⁷ As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve aside, and on the way he said to them, ¹⁸ "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, ¹⁹ and will hand him over to the non-Jews to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up." ²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him. ²¹ He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom." ²² But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." ²³ He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father." ²⁴ When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It will not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant. ²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." ²⁹ As they went out from Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ And look, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, shouted, "Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David." ³¹ The crowd rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they shouted even more, "Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David." ³² Jesus stood still, and called them, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" ³³ They told him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." ³⁴ Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him. ²¹ ¹ When they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, "Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, you are to say, 'Because the Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." ⁴ This took place that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, ⁵ Say to the daughter of Zion, "Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." ⁶ The disciples went, and did just as Jesus directed them, ⁷ and brought the donkey and the colt, and placed their clothes on them; and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds who went before him, and who followed kept shouting, "Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." ¹⁰ When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" ¹¹ The crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee." ¹² Jesus entered into the temple, and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers' tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. ¹³ He said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers." ¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David." they were indignant, ¹⁶ and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes. Did you never read, 'Out of the mouth of children and infants you have prepared praise?'" ¹⁷ He left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there. ¹⁸ Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it, and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, "Let there be no fruit from you forever." Immediately the fig tree withered away. ²⁰ When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, "How did the fig tree immediately wither away?" ²¹ Jesus answered them, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it would be done. ²² All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." ²³ When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?" ²⁴ Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from people?" They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶ But if we say, 'From people,' we fear the crowd, for all hold John as a prophet." ²⁷ They answered Jesus, and said, "We do not know." He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁸ But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' ²⁹ He answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind, and went. ³⁰ And he came to the other, and said the same thing. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into the Kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you did not even repent afterward, that you might believe him. ³³ "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, leased it out to tenant farmers, and went on a journey. ³⁴ When the season for the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive his fruit. ³⁵ The tenants took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶ Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they treated them the same way. ³⁷ But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, 'They will respect my son.' ³⁸ But the tenants, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and have his inheritance.' ³⁹ So they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰ When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" ⁴¹ They told him, "He will utterly destroy those evil men, and will lease out the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him the fruit in its season." ⁴² Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner. This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes?' ⁴³ "Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation bringing forth its fruit. ⁴⁴ He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it will fall, it will crush him." ⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them. ⁴⁶ When they sought to seize him, they feared the crowds, because they considered him to be a prophet.