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.
1 Tanī pašā stundā mācekļi gāja pie Jēzus un sacīja: "Kas gan ir lielākais Debesu valstībā?" 2 Un Jēzus pasauca bērnu, nostatīja to viņu vidū 3 un sacīja: "Patiesi Es jums saku: ja jūs neatgriežaties un netopat kā bērni, tad jūs nenāksit Debesu valstībā. 4 Tāpēc, kas pats pazemojas kā šis bērns, tas ir lielākais Debesu valstībā. 5 Un, kas uzņem tādu bērnu Manā Vārdā, tas uzņem Mani. 6 Bet, kas apgrēcina vienu no šiem vismazākiem, kas tic uz Mani, tam būtu labāk, ka tam piesietu dzirnu akmeni pie kakla un to noslīcinātu jūras dziļumā. 7 Vai pasaulei apgrēcības dēļ! Apgrēcībai gan jānāk. Bet vai tam cilvēkam, caur ko nāk apgrēcība! 8 Tāpēc, ja tava roka vai tava kāja tevi apgrēcina, tad nocērt to un met to prom; jo tas tev labāk, ka tu tizls vai kropls ieej dzīvībā, nekā kad tev ir divi rokas vai divi kājas un tevi iemet mūžīgā ugunī. 9 Un, ja tava acs tevi apgrēcina, izrauj to un met to prom; tas tev labāk - ar vienu aci ieiet dzīvībā, nekā kad tev ir divi acis un tevi iemet elles ugunī. 10 Pielūkojiet, ka jūs nevienu no šiem mazajiem nenicināt, jo Es jums saku: viņu eņģeļi debesīs vienmēr redz Mana Debesu Tēva vaigu. 11 Jo Cilvēka Dēls ir atnācis atpestīt pazudušo. 12 Kā jums šķiet? Ja kādam cilvēkam ir simts avju un viena no tām nomaldās, vai viņš neatstās tās deviņdesmit deviņas kalnos un neies meklēt to, kas nomaldījusies? 13 Un, ja viņam laimējas to atrast, patiesi Es jums saku: viņš vairāk priecājas par to nekā par tām deviņdesmit deviņām, kas nav nomaldījušās. 14 Tāpat arī nav jūsu Debesu Tēva prāts, ka viens no šiem mazajiem pazustu. 15 Bet, ja tavs brālis grēko, tad noej un pamāci viņu zem četrām acīm; kad viņš tev klausa, tad tu savu brāli esi mantojis. 16 Un, ja viņš neklausa, tad pieaicini vēl vienu vai divus, lai no divu vai triju liecinieku mutes katrs vārds tiek apstiprināts. 17 Bet, ja viņš tiem neklausa, tad saki to draudzei; bet, ja viņš neklausa arī draudzei, tad turi viņu par pagānu un muitnieku. 18 Patiesi Es jums saku: ko vien jūs virs zemes siesit, tas būs siets arī debesīs; un, ko vien jūs virs zemes atraisīsit, tas būs atraisīts arī debesīs. 19 Atkal Es jums saku: ja divi no jums virs zemes ir vienā prātā kaut kādas lietas dēļ, ko tie grib lūgt, tad Mans Debesu Tēvs to tiem dos. 20 Jo, kur divi vai trīs ir sapulcējušies Manā Vārdā, tur Es esmu viņu vidū." 21 Tad Pēteris, piegājis pie Viņa, sacīja: "Kungs, cikkārt man būs piedot savam brālim, kas pret mani grēko? Vai ir diezgan septiņas reizes?" 22 Jēzus saka uz to: "Es tev nesaku septiņas reizes, bet septiņdesmit reiz septiņas. 23 Tāpēc Debesu valstība ir līdzīga ķēniņam, kas ar saviem kalpiem gribēja norēķināties. 24 Un, kad viņš iesāka norēķinu, viņam pieveda parādnieku, kas tam bija parādā desmit tūkstošu talentu. 25 Bet, kad tas nespēja samaksāt, tad kungs pavēlēja to pārdot ar sievu un bērniem un visu, kas tam bija, un samaksāt. 26 Tad kalps krita pie zemes un viņu gauži lūdza, sacīdams: cieties ar mani, es tev visu nomaksāšu. 27 Tad kungam palika kalpa žēl, un viņš to palaida un parādu tam arī atlaida. 28 Bet šis pats kalps, izgājis ārā, sastapa vienu no saviem darba biedriem, kas tam bija simts denāriju parādā; viņš to satvēra, žņaudza un sacīja: maksā, ko esi parādā! 29 Tad viņa darba biedrs krita tam pie kājām, lūdzās un sacīja: cieties ar mani, es tev samaksāšu. 30 Bet viņš negribēja un nogājis to iemeta cietumā, tiekāms tas savu parādu samaksā. 31 Kad nu viņa darba biedri to redzēja, tad tie ļoti noskuma, tie aizgāja un izstāstīja savam kungam visu, kas bija noticis. 32 Tad viņa kungs to pasauca un tam sacīja: tu nekrietnais kalps! Visu šo parādu es tev atlaidu, kad tu mani lūdzi. 33 Vai tad tev arīdzan nebija apžēloties par savu darba biedru, kā es par tevi esmu apžēlojies? 34 Un viņa kungs apskaitās un nodeva to mocītājiem, kamēr tas samaksā visu, ko viņš tam bija parādā. 35 Tā arī Mans Debesu Tēvs jums darīs, ja jūs ikviens savam brālim no sirds nepiedosit."
