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At that time the disciples came to Jesus. They asked him, ‘Then who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?’ 2 Jesus called a little child over to him. He had the child stand among them. 3 Jesus said, ‘What I'm about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don't, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Anyone who takes the humble position of this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Anyone who welcomes a little child like this one in my name welcomes me.
6 ‘What if someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If they do, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7 How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for the person who causes them! 8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one hand than go into hell with two hands. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one foot than go into hell with two feet. In hell the fire burns for ever. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
10-11 ‘See that you don't look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven are always with my Father who is in heaven.
18:1–11 This was the beginning of Jesus' fourth long message. In it he talked about what it means to be important. He also talked about forgiving others. In Jesus' time, many people didn't think children were complete human beings yet. But Jesus showed that children are very important. Children have many needs and must trust others to take care of them. Jesus said it's a terrible thing to cause children to sin. It's terrible to do that to anyone who is humble and trusting. Jesus also taught that his disciples must become like little children in God's kingdom. They must stop trying to be considered important. They must be humble and trust Jesus. This is what it means to be like a little one who believes in Jesus. Yet the disciples were also leaders in God's work. They weren't to cause children or any of Jesus' followers to sin. They were to be careful to teach the truth about God. Jesus was very serious about this. He talked about harming the body to avoid sin. He didn't mean that people should actually hurt themselves. Jesus was talking in a way that made people listen to him. He wanted them to understand how important it was to follow God's way of life.
12 ‘What do you think? Suppose a man owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders away. Won't he leave the 99 sheep on the hills? Won't he go and look for the one that wandered off? 13 What I'm about to tell you is true. If he finds that sheep, he is happier about the one than about the 99 that didn't wander off. 14 It is the same with your Father in heaven. He does not want any of these little ones to die.
18:12–14 Humans are like sheep that are lost from God's family. God the Father sends his Son into the world to find them. He is full of joy about each one who comes home. God doesn't want anyone to ever be apart from his love and life.
15 ‘If your brother or sister sins against you, go to them. Tell them what they did wrong. Keep it between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them back. 16 But what if they won't listen to you? Then take one or two others with you. Scripture says, “Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.” (Deuteronomy 19:15) 17 But what if they also refuse to listen to the witnesses? Then tell it to the church. And what if they refuse to listen even to the church? Then don't treat them as a brother or sister. Treat them as you would treat an ungodly person or a tax collector.
18 ‘What I'm about to tell you is true. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.
19 ‘Again, here is what I tell you. Suppose two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for. My Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 Where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.’
21 Peter came to Jesus. He asked, ‘Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’
22 Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.
23 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to collect all the money his servants owed him. 24 As the king began to do it, a man who owed him 10,000 bags of gold was brought to him. 25 The man was not able to pay. So his master gave an order. The man, his wife, his children, and all he owned had to be sold to pay back what he owed.
26 ‘Then the servant fell on his knees in front of him. “Give me time,” he begged. “I'll pay everything back.” 27 His master felt sorry for him. He forgave him what he owed and let him go.
28 ‘But then that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him 100 silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you owe me!” he said.
29 ‘The other servant fell on his knees. “Give me time,” he begged him. “I'll pay it back.”
30 ‘But the first servant refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison. The man would be held there until he could pay back what he owed. 31 The other servants saw what had happened and were very angry. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 ‘Then the master called the first servant in. “You evil servant,” he said. “I forgave all that you owed me because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on the other servant just as I had mercy on you?” 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers. He would be punished until he paid back everything he owed.
35 ‘This is how my Father in heaven will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’
18:15–35 Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as God's household. It's full of God's children who are all brothers and sisters. Jesus taught God's children to deal with conflict, pray together and forgive one another. Two people who have a conflict must seek peace together with honesty and humility. If they can't reach an agreement, they must ask others for help. People who refuse to stop harming others can't stay in God's family unless they change. Jesus promised to be with his followers who pray together. He promised that God will answer their prayers. Then Jesus told a story to answer Peter's question about forgiving his brothers and sisters. God is like the king who showed great mercy to the servant and forgave him. But the servant who received mercy and forgiveness didn't show mercy to the other servant. God's children mustn't be like that. They show they are grateful for God's mercy when they forgive one another.