^aEn aquel momento¹ se acercaron los discípulos a Jesús, diciendo: ¿Quién es, entonces, el mayor en el reino de los cielos? 2 Y Él, llamando a un niño, lo puso en medio de ellos, 3 y dijo: En verdad os digo que si no os convertís¹ y os hacéis como niños^a, no entraréis en el reino de los cielos. 4 Así pues, cualquiera que se humille como este niño,ese es el mayor en el reino de los cielos. 5 Y el que reciba a un niño comoeste¹ en mi nombre, a mí me recibe. 6 Pero al que^a haga tropezar¹ a uno de estos pequeñitos que creen en mí^b, mejor le sería que le colgaran al cuello una piedra de molino de las que mueve un asno, y que se ahogara en lo profundo del mar.

7 ¡Ay del mundo por sus piedras de tropiezo! Porque es inevitable que vengan piedras de tropiezo^a; pero ¡ay de aquel hombre por quien viene el tropiezo! 8 Y si tu mano o tu pie te es ocasión de pecar¹, córtatelo y échalo de ti; te es mejor entrar en la vida manco o cojo, que teniendo dos manos y dos pies, ser echado en el fuego eterno^a. 9 Y si tu ojo te es ocasión de pecar¹, arráncatelo y échalo de ti. Te es mejor entrar en la vida con un solo ojo, que teniendo dos ojos, ser echado en el infierno² de fuego^a.

10 Mirad que no despreciéis a uno de estos pequeñitos, porque os digo que sus ángeles en los cielos contemplan siempre el rostro de mi Padre^a que está en los cielos. 11 ¹Porque el Hijo del Hombre ha venido a salvar lo que se había perdido^a.

12 ¿Qué os parece? ^aSi un hombre tiene cien ovejas y una de ellas se ha descarriado, ¿no deja las noventa y nueve en los montes, y va en busca de la descarriada? 13 Y si sucede que la halla, en verdad os digo que se regocija más poresta que por las noventa y nueve que no se han descarriado. 14 Así, no es la voluntad de¹ vuestro Padre que está en los cielos que se pierda uno de estos pequeñitos.

15 Y si tu hermano peca^1a, ve y repréndelo a solas²; si te escucha, has ganado a tu hermano. 16 Pero si no te escucha, lleva contigo a uno o a dos más, para que TODA PALABRA SEA CONFIRMADA POR BOCA DE DOS O TRES TESTIGOS^a. 17 Y si rehúsa escucharlos, dilo a la iglesia^a; y si también rehúsa escuchar a la iglesia, sea para ti como el gentil^b y el recaudador de impuestos¹. 18 En verdad os digo: todo lo que atéis¹ en la tierra, será² atado en el cielo; y todo lo que desatéis³ en la tierra, será⁴ desatado en el cielo^a. 19 Además os digo, que si dos de vosotros se ponen de acuerdo sobre cualquier cosa que pidan aquí en la tierra, les será hecho por¹ mi Padre^a que está en los cielos. 20 Porque donde están dos o tres reunidos en mi nombre, allí estoy yo en medio de ellos^a.

21 Entonces se le acercó Pedro, y le dijo: Señor, ¿cuántas veces pecará mi hermano contra mí^a que yo haya de perdonarlo? ¿Hasta siete veces^b? 22 Jesús le dijo*: No te digo hasta siete veces, sino hasta setenta veces siete^a.

23 Por eso, el reino de los cielos^a puede compararse¹ a cierto² rey que quiso ajustar cuentas con sus siervos^b. 24 Y al comenzar a ajustarlas, le fue presentado uno que le debía diez mil talentos¹. 25 Pero no teniendo él con qué pagar^a, su señor ordenó que lo vendieran^b, junto con su mujer e hijos y todo cuanto poseía, y así pagara la deuda. 26 Entonces el siervo cayó postrado ante él^a, diciendo: «Ten paciencia conmigo y todo te lo pagaré». 27 Y el señor de aquel siervo tuvo compasión, y lo soltó y le perdonó la deuda^a. 28 Pero al salir aquel siervo, encontró a uno de sus consiervos que le debía cien denarios¹, y echándole mano, lo ahogaba, diciendo: «Paga lo que debes». 29 Entonces su consiervo, cayendo a sus pies, le suplicaba, diciendo: «Ten paciencia conmigo y te pagaré». 30 Sin embargo, él no quiso, sino que fue y lo echó en la cárcel hasta que pagara lo que debía. 31 Así que cuando vieron sus consiervos lo que había pasado, se entristecieron mucho, y fueron y contaron a su señor todo lo que había sucedido. 32 Entonces, llamándolo su señor, le dijo*: «Siervo malvado, te perdoné toda aquella deuda porque me suplicaste. 33 ¿No deberías tú también haberte compadecido de tu consiervo, así como yo me compadecí de ti^a?». 34 Y enfurecido su señor, lo entregó a los verdugos hasta que pagara todo lo que le debía. 35 Así también mi Padre celestial hará con vosotros^a, si no perdonáis de corazón¹ cada uno a su hermano.

^aAt that ¹time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “^bWho then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you ¹change and ^abecome like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me; 6 but ^awhoever ^bcauses one of these little ones who believe in Me to ¹sin, it is better for him that a ²heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world because of its ¹stumbling blocks! For ^ait is inevitable that ²stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the ³stumbling block comes!

8 “And ^aif your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And ^aif your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the ^1bfiery hell.

10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that ^atheir angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.¹

12 “What do you think? ^aIf any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. 14 So it is not the will ¹of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.

15 “Now ^aif your brother sins¹, go and ²show him his fault ³in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ^aON THE ¹TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY ²MATTER MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, ^atell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, ^bhe is to be to you as ¹a Gentile and ²a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, ^awhatever you ¹bind on earth ²shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you ³loose on earth ⁴shall have been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, ^ait shall be done for them ¹by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, ^aI am there in their midst.”

21 Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, ^ahow many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to ^bseven times?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to ^1aseventy-seven times.

23 “For this reason ^athe kingdom of heaven ¹is like a king who wanted to ^bsettle accounts with his slaves. 24 And when he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ¹ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 But since he ^1adid not have the means to repay, his master commanded that he ^bbe sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment be made. 26 So the slave fell to the ground and ^aprostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And the master of that slave felt compassion, and he released him and ^aforgave him the ¹debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred ¹denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling, ¹and went and threw him in prison until he would pay back what was owed. 31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their master all that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his master *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 ^aShould you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the ¹torturers until he would repay all that was owed him. 35 ^aMy heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your ¹heart.”

^aAt that ¹time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “^bWho then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him ¹before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you ¹are converted and ^abecome like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6 but ^awhoever ^bcauses one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it ¹would be better for him to have a ²heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For ^ait is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

8 “^aIf your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than ¹to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. 9 ^aIf your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than ¹to have two eyes and be cast into the ^2bfiery hell.

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that ^atheir angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 [^1aFor the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

12 “What do you think? ^aIf any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13 If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14 So it is not the will ¹of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

15 “^aIf your brother sins¹, go and ²show him his fault ³in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ^aBY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY ¹FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, ^atell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, ^blet him be to you as ¹a Gentile and ²a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, ^awhatever you ¹bind on earth ²shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you ³loose on earth ⁴shall have been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, ^ait shall be done for them ¹by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, ^aI am there in their midst.”

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, ^ahow often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to ^bseven times?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to ^aseventy times seven.

23 “For this reason ^athe kingdom of heaven ¹may be compared to a king who wished to ^bsettle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ¹ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 But since he ^1adid not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him ^bto be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 So the slave fell to the ground and ^aprostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and ^aforgave him the ¹debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred ¹denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling ¹and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 ^aShould you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 ^aMy heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from ¹your heart.”

^aAt that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “^bWho is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48 2 He called a little child and set him before them, 3 and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives and ^abecome like children trusting, humble, and forgiving, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever ¹humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives and welcomes one ¹child like this in My name receives Me; 6 but ^awhoever ^bcauses one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin by leading him away from My teaching, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone as large as one turned by a donkey hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2

7 “Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! ^aIt is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes! Luke 17:1

8 “^aIf your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. 9 ^aIf your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation; it is better for you to enter life with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the ^bfiery hell.

10 “See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that ^atheir angels in heaven are in the presence of and continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven. Acts 12:15; Heb 1:14 11 [^1aFor the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

12 “What do you think? ^aIf a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost? Luke 15:4-7 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones be lost.

15 “^aIf your brother sins¹, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that ^aEVERY WORD MAY BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. 17 If he pays no attention to them refusing to listen and obey, ^atell it to the ¹church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, ^blet him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector. Lev 19:17; Deut 19:15 18 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, ^awhatever you bind forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful on earth ¹shall have already been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose permit, declare lawful on earth ²shall have already been loosed in heaven. Matt 16:19

19 “Again I say to you, that if two ¹believers on earth agree that is, are of one mind, in harmony about anything that they ask within the will of God, ^ait will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 1+@John 5:14 20 For where two or three are gathered in My name meeting together as My followers, ^aI am there among them.” Ex 3:14

21 Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, ^ahow many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to ^bseven times?” 22 Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but ^aseventy times seven.

23 “Therefore ^athe kingdom of heaven is like a king who wished to ^bsettle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the accounting, one who owed him 10,000 ¹talents was brought to him. 25 But because he ^acould not repay, his master ordered him ^bto be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave ^afell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And his master’s heart was moved with compassion and he released him and ^aforgave him canceling the debt. 28 But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him ¹a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow slave fell on his knees and begged him earnestly, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling and he went and had him thrown in prison until he paid back the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and they went and reported to their master with clarity and in detail everything that had taken place. 32 Then his master called him and said to him, ‘You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that great debt of yours because you begged me. 33 ^aShould you not have had mercy on your fellow slave who owed you little by comparison, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (jailers) until he paid all that he owed. 35 ^aMy heavenly Father will also do the same to every one of you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”