Matthew 18 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?
1 Ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγοντες· τίς ἄρα μείζων ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν;
2 And Jesus having called a little child to [him], set it in their midst,
2 καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ Ἰησοῦς παιδίον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν·
3 and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
3 ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.
4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens;
4 ὅστις οὖν ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν ὡς τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ μείζων ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.
5 and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me.
5 καὶ ὃς ἐὰν δέξηται παιδίον τοιοῦτον ἓν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου, ἐμὲ δέχεται·
6 But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.
6 ὃς δ᾽ ἂν σκανδαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν πιστευόντων εἰς ἐμέ, συμφέρει αὐτῷ ἵνα κρεμασθῇ μύλος ὀνικὸς εἰς τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ καταποντισθῇ ἐν τῷ πελάγει τῆς θαλάσσης.
7 Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes!
7 Οὐαὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἀπὸ τῶν σκανδάλων· ἀνάγκη γάρ ἐστιν ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα· πλὴν οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι᾽ οὗ τὸ σκάνδαλον ἔρχεται.
8 And if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, [rather] than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire.
8 εἰ δὲ ἡ χείρ σου ἢ ὁ πούς σου σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὰ καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· καλόν σοί ἐστιν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλὸν ἢ κυλλόν, ἢ δύο χεῖρας ἢ δύο πόδας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, [rather] than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.
9 καὶ εἰ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔξελε αὐτὸν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· καλόν σοί ἐστι μονόφθαλμον εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, ἢ δύο ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός.
10 See that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in [the] heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in [the] heavens.
10 Ὁρᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.
11 For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.
11 ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.
12 What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?
12 Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐχὶ ἀφεὶς τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη, πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον;
13 And if it should come to pass that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more because of it than because of the ninety and nine not gone astray.
13 καὶ ἐὰν γένηται εὑρεῖν αὐτό, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι χαίρει ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα τοῖς μὴ πεπλανημένοις.
14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in [the] heavens that one of these little ones should perish.
14 οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι θέλημα ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἵνα ἀπόληται εἷς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων.
15 But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
15 Ἐὰν δὲ ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς σὲ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ὕπαγε [καὶ] ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου· ἐάν σου ἀκούσῃ, ἐκέρδησας τὸν ἀδελφόν σου·
16 But if he do not hear [thee], take with thee one or two besides, that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three.
16 ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀκούσῃ, παράλαβε μετὰ σοῦ ἔτι ἕνα ἢ δύο, ἵνα ἐπὶ στόματος δύο μαρτύρων ἢ τριῶν σταθῇ πᾶν ῥῆμα.
17 But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.
17 ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, εἰπὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.
18 Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.
18 Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.
19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in [the] heavens.
19 Πάλιν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν δύο ὑμῶν συμφωνήσωσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς περὶ παντὸς πράγματος οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, γενήσεται αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.
20 For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
20 οὗ γάρ εἰσι δύο ἢ τρεῖς συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα, ἐκεῖ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν.
21 Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times?
21 Τότε προσελθὼν αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος εἶπε· Κύριε, ποσάκις ἁμαρτήσει εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις;
22 Jesus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
22 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· οὐ λέγω σοι ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλ᾽ ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά.
23 For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen.
23 Διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὃς ἠθέλησε συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ.
24 And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.
24 ἀρξαμένου δὲ αὐτοῦ συναίρειν προσηνέχθη αὐτῷ εἷς ὀφειλέτης μυρίων ταλάντων.
25 But he not having anything to pay, [his] lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.
25 μὴ ἔχοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀποδοῦναι ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πραθῆναι καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ πάντα ὅσα εἶχε, καὶ ἀποδοθῆναι.
26 The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.
26 πεσὼν οὖν ὁ δοῦλος προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων· κύριε, μακροθύμησον ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ καὶ πάντα σοι ἀποδώσω.
27 And the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan.
27 σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος τοῦ δούλου ἐκείνου ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ δάνειον ἀφῆκεν αὐτῷ.
28 But that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay [me] if thou owest anything.
28 ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος εὗρεν ἕνα τῶν συνδούλων αὐτοῦ, ὃς ὤφειλεν αὐτῷ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια, καὶ κρατήσας αὐτὸν ἔπνιγε λέγων· ἀπόδος μοι εἴ τι ὀφείλεις.
29 His fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down [at his feet], besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
29 πεσὼν οὖν ὁ σύνδουλος αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν λέγων· μακροθύμησον ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀποδώσω σοι.
30 But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing.
30 ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν, ἀλλὰ ἀπελθὼν ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακὴν ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ τὸ ὀφειλόμενον.
31 But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.
31 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ γενόμενα ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἐλθόντες διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν πάντα τὰ γενόμενα.
32 Then his lord, having called him to [him], says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;
32 τότε προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ λέγει αὐτῷ· δοῦλε πονηρέ, πᾶσαν τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἐκείνην ἀφῆκά σοι, ἐπεὶ παρεκάλεσάς με.
33 shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as I also had compassion on thee?
33 οὐκ ἔδει καὶ σὲ ἐλεῆσαι τὸν σύνδουλόν σου, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ σε ἠλέησα;
34 And his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him.
34 καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν τοῖς βασανισταῖς ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ πᾶν τὸ ὀφειλόμενον αὐτῷ.
35 Thus also my heavenly Father shall do to you if ye forgive not from your hearts every one his brother.
35 Οὕτω καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ ἐπουράνιος ποιήσει ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀφῆτε ἕκαστος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν.
Cross references (34)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Mark 9:33–37; Luke 9:46–48; Matthew 20:20–28; Luke 22:24–27; Philippians 2:3
- 2 Matthew 19:13–14; Mark 9:36–37; 1 Kings 3:7; Jeremiah 1:7
- 3 Mark 10:14–15; 1 Peter 2:2; Matthew 19:14; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Luke 18:16–17
- 4 James 4:10; Mark 10:43; Luke 14:11; Luke 9:48; Matthew 23:11–12
- 5 Matthew 25:40; John 13:20; Mark 9:37; Galatians 4:14; Luke 17:1–2
- 6 Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1–2; Matthew 18:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–9; Matthew 18:14
- 7 Luke 17:1; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Matthew 26:24; 1 Timothy 4:1–3; Jude 4
- 8 Matthew 5:29–30; Philippians 3:8–9; Romans 13:12; Luke 18:22–23; Ezekiel 18:31
- 9 Acts 14:22; Matthew 18:8; Revelation 21:27; Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:29
- 10 Psalm 91:11; Psalm 34:7; Hebrews 1:14; Luke 16:22; Acts 12:7–11
- 12 Ezekiel 34:12; Luke 15:4–7; Ezekiel 34:16; Isaiah 53:6; Ezekiel 34:28
- 13 Luke 15:5–10; Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 147:11; Luke 15:23–24; John 4:34–36
- 14 John 17:12; 2 Peter 3:9; John 6:39–40; John 10:27–30; Isaiah 40:11
- 15 Leviticus 19:17; Galatians 6:1; Luke 17:3–4; 2 Thessalonians 3:15; Colossians 3:13
- 16 Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1; John 8:17; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28
- 17 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 5:9–6:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15; 1 Corinthians 5:3–5; 2 John 10–11
- 18 Matthew 16:19; 2 Corinthians 2:10; John 20:23; 1 Corinthians 5:4–5; Revelation 3:7–8
- 19 Matthew 7:7; 1 John 5:14–16; Mark 11:24; John 14:13–14; Philippians 1:19
- 20 1 Corinthians 5:4; Revelation 21:3; Matthew 28:20; Zechariah 2:5; John 20:26
- 21 Luke 17:3–4; Matthew 18:15
- 22 Colossians 3:13; Mark 11:25; Genesis 4:24; Ephesians 4:31–5:1; Matthew 6:14–15
- 23 Romans 14:12; Matthew 13:24; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 13:44–45; Matthew 13:47
- 24 Psalm 38:4; Psalm 130:3–4; Psalm 40:12; Luke 13:4; Luke 16:5
- 25 Nehemiah 5:5; 2 Kings 4:1; Luke 7:42; Leviticus 25:39; Nehemiah 5:8
- 26 Matthew 18:29; Luke 7:43; Matthew 8:2; Romans 10:3
- 27 Psalm 145:8; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 86:5; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 78:38
- 28 Ezekiel 45:9; Matthew 20:2; Deuteronomy 15:2; Isaiah 58:3; Nehemiah 5:10–11
- 29 Matthew 6:12; Matthew 18:26; Philemon 18–19
- 30 1 Kings 22:27; 1 Kings 21:27–29
- 31 Romans 12:15; Hebrews 13:3; Mark 3:5; Jeremiah 9:1; Hebrews 13:17
- 32 Romans 3:19; Luke 19:22; Matthew 25:26
- 33 Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:32–5:2; Matthew 6:12; Luke 6:35–36; Matthew 5:44–45
- 34 James 2:13; Matthew 5:25–26; Luke 12:58–59; 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9; Revelation 14:10–11
- 35 Matthew 6:14–15; James 2:13; Luke 6:37–38; Mark 11:25; Matthew 6:12
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The divine lessons, which we have just heard as they were being read, warn us to gather in a stock of virtues, to fortify a Christian heart, against the offences which were predicted to come, and this from the mercy of the Lord.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
"And if it must needs be that offenses come,'" (some one of our adversaries may perchance say), "why doth He lament over the world, when He ought rather to afford succor, and to stretch forth His hand in its behalf?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
The diverse sounds (he adds) are those which give form to that Æon who is without material substance and unbegotten, and these, again, are the forms which the Lord has called angels, who continually behold the face of the Father.
Let them praise Thy Name,--those super-celestial people, Thine angels, who have no need to look up at this firmament, or by reading to attain the knowledge of Thy Word,--let them praise Thee. For they always behold Thy face, and therein read without any syllables in time what Thy eternal will willeth.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
How then doth He say elsewhere, "Reprove, rebuke, exhort," and, "Them that sin rebuke before all?" And Christ too to Peter, "Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone," and if he neglect to hear, add to thyself another also; and if not even so doth he yield, declare it to the church likewise?" And how hath …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)