CHAPTER XVIII.
Christ teaches humility, to beware of scandal, and to
flee the occasions of sin: to denounce to the church incorrigible sinners, and
to look upon such as refuse to hear the church as heathens. He promises to his disciples the power of binding
and loosing: and that he will be in the midst of their assemblies. No forgiveness for them that will not
forgive.
1
At *that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the
greater in the kingdom of heaven?
2
*And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,
3
And said: Amen I say unto you, *unless you be converted, and become as little
children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the
greater in the kingdom of heaven.
5
And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
6
*But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it
were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he
were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7
Wo to the world because of scandals. For
it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless wo to that man by whom
the scandal cometh.
8
*And if thy hand or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from
thee. It is better for thee to enter
into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into
everlasting fire.
9
And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee with one eye to enter
into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
10
Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you,
*that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11
*For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12
*What think you? If a man have a hundred
sheep, and one of them should go astray; doth he not leave the ninety-nine in
the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray?
13
And if it so be that he find it, amen, I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that
than for the ninety-nine that went not astray.
14
Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these
little ones should perish.
15
*But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and reprove him between thee
and him alone. If he shall hear thee,
thou shalt gain thy brother.
16
But if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more, *that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
17
*And if he will not hear them: tell the church.
And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen
and the publican.
18
*Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also
in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in
heaven.
19
Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree upon earth, concerning any
thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father, who is
in heaven.
20
For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst of them.
21
Then came Peter unto him, and said: *Lord, how often shall my brother offend
against me, and I forgive him? Till
seven times?
22
Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times
seven:
23
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account
of his servants.
24
And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed
him ten thousand talents.
25
And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be
sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment be made.
26
But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and
I will pay thee all.
27
And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go, and forgave him
the debt.
28
But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow-servants that
owed him a hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay
what thou owest.
29
And his fellow-servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with
me, and I will pay thee all.
30
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the
debt.
31
Now his fellow-servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they
came, and told their lord all that was done.
32
Then his lord called him: and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee
all the debt, because thou besoughtest me.
33
Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow-servant, even as
I had compassion on thee?
34
And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he should pay
all the debt.
35
So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his
brother from your hearts.
____________________
*
1: AD. 32.; Mark ix. 33.; Luke ix. 46.
2: Infra xix. 14.
3: 1 Cor. xiv. 20.
6: Mark ix. 41.; Luke xvii. 2.
8: Supra v. 30.; Mark ix. 42.
10: Ps. xxxiii. 8.
11: Luke xix. 10.
12: Luke xv. 4.
15: Lev. xix. 17.; Eccli. xix. 13.; Luke xvii.
3.; James v. 19.
16: Deut. xix. 15.; John viii. 17.; 2 Cor. xiii.
1.; Heb. x. 28.
17: 1 Cor. v. 9.; 2 Thes. iii. 14.
18: John xx. 23.
21: Luke xvii. 4.
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