Chapter
18
In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
Jesus called a little child to herself, and set her in the midst of them,
and said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whoever therefore humbles herself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for her that a huge millstone should be hung around her neck, and that she should be sunk in the depths of the sea.
"Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. 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 eternal fire.
If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
See that you don't despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Mother who is in heaven.
For the Daughter of Woman came to save that which was lost.
"What do you think? If a woman has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn't she leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
If she finds it, most certainly I tell you, she rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
Even so it is not the will of your Mother who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
"If your sister sins against you, go, show her her fault between you and her alone. If she listens to you, you have gained back your sister.
But if she doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
If she refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If she refuses to hear the assembly also, let her be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Mother who is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them."
Then Petra came and said to her, "Domina, how often shall my sister sin against me, and I forgive her? Until seven times?"
Jesus said to her, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain queen, who wanted to reconcile accounts with her servants.
When she had begun to reconcile, one was brought to her who owed her ten thousand talents.
But because she couldn't pay, her domina commanded her to be sold, with her husband, her children, and all that she had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before her, saying, 'Domina, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!'
The domina of that servant, being moved with compassion, released her, and forgave her the debt.
"But that servant went out, and found one of her fellow servants, who owed her one hundred denarii, and she grabbed her, and took her by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
"So her fellow servant fell down at her feet and begged her, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!'
She would not, but went and cast her into prison, until she should pay back that which was due.
So when her fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their domina all that was done.
Then her domina called her in, and said to her, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.
Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'
Her domina was angry, and delivered her to the tormentors, until she should pay all that was due to her.
So my heavenly Mother will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your sister from your hearts for her misdeeds."