Matthew 18 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Around that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "So who actually ends up being the greatest in God's kingdom?"

Jesus called a little child over and had the child stand right there in the middle of them.

Then he said, "Here's the truth: unless you completely change and become like little children, you won't even enter God's kingdom."

So whoever makes themselves as unimportant as this little child — that's the person who's actually the greatest in God's kingdom.

And anyone who welcomes a child like this one because of me — they're actually welcoming me.

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trust in me to stumble and fall away — honestly, it would be better for that person to have a massive millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the deep sea.

What a tragic world this is because of all the things that cause people to stumble! Those things will inevitably come, but it's going to be terrible for the person through whom they come.

If your hand or your foot is causing you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It's better to enter life missing a hand or foot than to be thrown into the unending fire with both hands and both feet.

And if your eye is causing you to stumble, rip it out and throw it away. It's better to enter life with one eye than to be thrown into the fire of Gehenna with both eyes.

"Be careful that you don't look down on any of these little ones. Because I'm telling you, their angels in heaven are always in the presence of my Father in heaven."

[This verse is not included in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts.]

"What do you think? If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go search for the one that wandered away?"

And if he finds it, I'm telling you the truth — he's happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that didn't wander off.

In the same way, your Father in heaven doesn't want even a single one of these little ones to be lost.

"If your brother or sister fails you, go and talk to them about it privately, just the two of you. If they listen to you, you've won them back."

But if they won't listen, bring one or two others along so that 'every matter can be confirmed by two or three witnesses.'

If they refuse to listen to them, bring it to the whole gathered community. And if they refuse to listen even to the gathered community, then treat them as you would a tax collector or someone outside the community.

"I'm telling you the truth: whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have already been released in heaven."

"And here's another thing I'm telling you: if two of you here on earth agree about anything you're asking for, my Father in heaven will make it happen for you."

Because wherever two or three come together around who I am, I'm right there with them."

Then Peter came up to him and asked, "Master, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who keeps failing me? As many as seven times?"

Jesus said to him, "Not seven times — I'm telling you, seventy-seven times."

"That's why God's kingdom is like a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants."

When he started the audit, one man was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents.

Since he had no way to pay it back, the master ordered that he, his wife, his children, and everything he owned be sold to cover the debt.

So the servant fell on his face before the master and begged, 'Please, be patient with me, and I'll pay you back everything!'

The master's heart broke for that servant. He released him and completely cancelled the debt.

But that same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him by the throat and started choking him, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'

His fellow servant fell down and begged him, 'Please, be patient with me, and I'll pay you back!'

But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay back the debt.

When the other servants saw what happened, they were deeply upset. They went and told their master the whole story.

Then the master called the servant in. 'You worthless servant,' he said. 'I cancelled that entire massive debt of yours because you begged me to.'

'Shouldn't you have shown mercy to your fellow servant the same way I showed mercy to you?'

The master was furious. He handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he paid back everything he owed.

"And that's exactly what my heavenly Father will do to each of you — unless you genuinely forgive your brother or sister from your heart."