⊕⊕
When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute… from their children, or from strangers?” Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt, but (lest we cause them to stumble) go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that and give it to them – for me and you.”
In that hour the disciples came to Jesus. He asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?” But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest. He sat down and called the twelve, and said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all… and servant of all.” Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, called a little child to himself, and set him by his side in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “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 himself 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… and whoever receives me (doesn’t receive me), but him who sent me. But whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a huge millstone hung around his neck… and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.”
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he doesn’t follow us.” But Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us. There is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is on our side. For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name (because you are Christ’s), most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all – this one will be great.”
“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 Gehenna… into the unquenchable eternal fire ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. “It is better for you to enter life (into God’s Kingdom) 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 Father (who is in heaven). For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray… doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. Even so, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother…. but if he 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 he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him 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 Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold (with his wife, his children, and all that he had) – and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii – and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So, his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ He would not but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due.
“So, when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.
“Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘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?’ His lord was angry and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.
“For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good… but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.”
When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.
Source Text Prioritization:
- Matthew 17:24-19:2
- Mark 9:33-50
- Luke 9:46-50
3 Comments