Who Is the Greatest?
(Mark 9.33-37Luke 9.46-48)1 About this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 2 Jesus called for a child to come over and stand near him. 3 Then he said:
I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. 4 But if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me.
Temptations To Sin
(Mark 9.42-48Luke 17.1Luke 2)6 It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the deepest part of the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks! 7 The world is in for trouble because of the way it causes people to sin. There will always be something to cause people to sin, but anyone who does this will be in for trouble.
8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, chop it off and throw it away! You would be better off to go into life paralyzed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the fire that never goes out. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and get rid of it. You would be better off to go into life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fires of hell.
The Lost Sheep
(Luke 15.3-7)10-11 Don't be cruel to any of these little ones! I promise you their angels are always with my Father in heaven. 12 Let me ask you this. What would you do if you had 100 sheep and one of them wandered off? Wouldn't you leave the 99 on the hillside and go look for the one that had wandered away? 13 I am sure that finding it would make you happier than having the 99 that never wandered off. 14 That's how it is with your Father in heaven. He doesn't want any of these little ones to be lost.
When Someone Sins
(Luke 17.3)15 If one of my followers sins against you, go and point out what was wrong. But do it in private, just between the two of you. If that person listens, you have won back a follower. 16 But if that one refuses to listen, take along one or two others. The Scriptures teach that every complaint must be proven true by two or more witnesses. 17 If the follower refuses to listen to them, report the matter to the church. Anyone who refuses to listen to the church must be treated like an unbeliever or a tax collector.
Allowing and Not Allowing
18 I promise you God in heaven will allow whatever you allow on earth, but God will not allow anything you don't allow. 19 I promise that when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.
An Official Who Refused To Forgive
21 Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?”
22 Jesus answered:
Not just 7 times, but 77 times! 23 This story will show you what the kingdom of heaven is like:
One day a king decided to call in his officials and ask them to give an account of what they owed him. 24 As he was doing this, one official was brought in who owed him 50,000,000 silver coins. 25 But he didn't have any money to pay what he owed. The king ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all he owned, in order to pay the debt.
26 The official got down on his knees and began begging, “Have pity on me, and I will pay you every cent I owe!” 27 The king felt sorry for him and let him go free. He even told the official that he did not have to pay back the money.
28 But as this official was leaving, he happened to meet another official, who owed him 100 silver coins. So he grabbed the man by the throat. He started choking him and said, “Pay me what you owe!”
29 The man got down on his knees and began begging, “Have pity on me, and I will pay you back.” 30 But the first official refused to have pity. Instead, he went and had the other official put in jail until he could pay what he owed.
31 When some other officials found out what had happened, they felt sorry for the man who had been put in jail. Then they told the king what had happened. 32 The king called the first official back in and said, “You're an evil man! When you begged for mercy, I said you did not have to pay back a cent. 33 Don't you think you should show pity to someone else, as I did to you?” 34 The king was so angry that he ordered the official to be tortured until he could pay back everything he owed. 35 That is how my Father in heaven will treat you, if you don't forgive each of my followers with all your heart.
Lielākais Debesu valstībā
(Mk 9:33–37Lk 9:46–48)1 Tajā pašā laikā mācekļi gāja pie Jēzus un vaicāja: “Kas tad ir lielākais Debesu valstībā?” 2 Jēzus, pieaicinājis kādu bērniņu un nostādījis to viņu vidū, 3 sacīja: “Es jums saku: patiesi, ja jūs nemaināties un netopat kā bērniņi, jūs neieiesiet Debesu valstībā. 4 Tad nu ikviens, kas pats top pazemīgs kā šis bērniņš, ir lielākais Debesu valstībā. 5 Un, kas uzņem vienu šādu bērniņu manā vārdā, tas uzņem mani.
Jēzus brīdina no apgrēcināšanas
(Mk 9:42–48Lk 17:1–2)6 Kas apgrēcina vienu no šiem mazākajiem, kas tic uz mani, tam būtu labāk, ja tam uzkārtu dzirnakmeni kaklā un to noslīcinātu jūras dziļumā. 7 Vai! pasaulei, kad nāk apgrēcība! Apgrēcībai gan ir jānāk, bet vai! tam cilvēkam, caur kuru nāk apgrēcība! 8 Un, ja tava roka vai kāja tevi apgrēcina, nocērt to un aizmet projām! Labāk tev tizlam un kroplam ieiet dzīvībā, nekā ja tev ir abas rokas un kājas un tu tiec iemests mūžīgā ugunī. 9 Ja tava acs tevi apgrēcina, izrauj to un aizmet projām. Labāk tev vienacainam ieiet dzīvībā, nekā ja tev ir abas acis un tu tiec iemests elles ugunīs.
Līdzība par pazudušo avi
(Lk 15:3–7)10 Pielūkojiet, ka jūs nevienu no šiem mazākajiem nenonicināt, jo es jums saku: viņu eņģeļi debesīs vienmēr redz mana debesu Tēva vaigu. 12 Kā jūs domājat? Ja kādam cilvēkam pieder simts avju un viena no tām nomaldās, vai tad viņš neatstās pārējās deviņdesmit deviņas kalnos un nedosies meklēt to nomaldījušos? 13 Un, ja viņam gadās to atrast, es jums saku: patiesi viņš priecājas par to vairāk nekā par tām deviņdesmit deviņām, kas nebija nomaldījušās. 14 Tāpat tas nav pēc jūsu debesu Tēva prāta, ka iet bojā viens no šiem mazākajiem.
Ja brālis grēko
(Lk 17:3)15 Ja tavs brālis pret tevi grēko, tad ej un uzrādi viņa vainu, kad esat divatā; ja viņš tevi klausa, tu savu brāli esi atguvis. 16 Ja viņš tevi neklausa, tad ņem līdzi vēl vienu vai divus, lai no divu vai trīs liecinieku mutes katrs vārds tiek apstiprināts . 17 Ja viņš tos neklausa, tad saki to draudzei; un, ja viņš neklausa draudzi, tad uzskati viņu par pagānu vai muitnieku. 18 Es jums saku: patiesi, ko vien jūs virs zemes siesiet, tas būs siets arī debesīs; un, ko vien jūs virs zemes atraisīsiet, tas būs atraisīts arī debesīs. 19 Un vēl es jums saku: ja divi no jums virs zemes vienprātīgi kaut ko lūgs, tad mans debesu Tēvs viņiem to piešķirs. 20 Jo, kur divi vai trīs ir sapulcējušies manā vārdā, tur arī es esmu viņu vidū.”
Līdzība par nelietīgo kalpu
21 Tad Pēteris piegāja viņam klāt un jautāja: “Cik reižu man jāpiedod savam brālim, kas grēko pret mani? Vai pietiek līdz septiņām reizēm?” 22 Jēzus viņam atbildēja: “Es tev nesaku: līdz septiņām reizēm, bet gan: līdz septiņdesmit reiz septiņām. 23 Tādēļ Debesu valstība ir salīdzināma ar ķēniņu, kas nolēma prasīt norēķinu saviem kalpiem. 24 Kad viņš sāka to darīt, viņam pieveda kādu, kas viņam bija parādā desmit tūkstošus talantu. 25 Un, tā kā viņš nespēja samaksāt, viņa kungs pavēlēja pārdot gan viņu pašu, gan viņa sievu un bērnus, gan visu, kas tam bija, un parādu samaksāt. 26 Tad kalps krita pie zemes un lūdzās: pagaidi uz mani, es visu samaksāšu. 27 Kungs iežēlojās par šo kalpu un atlaida tam aizdevumu. 28 Šis kalps, izgājis ārā, ieraudzīja kādu savu biedru, kas viņam bija parādā simts denāriju. Viņš to satvēris žņaudza un sacīja: atdod, ko esi parādā! 29 Tad viņa biedrs krita pie zemes un lūdzās: pagaidi uz mani, es visu samaksāšu. 30 Taču viņš negribēja gaidīt un aizgājis to ielika cietumā, līdz tas parādu būs samaksājis. 31 Citi kalpi, viņa biedri, to redzēdami, ļoti noskuma; tie gāja un visu notikušo atstāstīja kungam. 32 Tad kungs viņu pasauca un sacīja: tu nelietīgais kalps, visu tavu parādu es tev atlaidu, kad tu lūdzi. 33 Vai tev tāpat nevajadzēja apžēloties par savu biedru, kā es par tevi apžēlojos? 34 Un kungs saniknojies nodeva to spīdzinātājiem, līdz tas būs samaksājis visu parādu. 35 Tā arī mans debesu Tēvs jums darīs, ja jūs ikviens savam brālim no sirds nepiedosiet.”
