Matthew 18
18About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"G1722G1565G5610G4334G3101G2424G3004G5101G686G2076G3187G1722G932G3772 2Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.G2532G2424G4341G3813G4341G2476G846G1722G3319G846 3Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.G2532G2036G281G3004G5213G3362G4762G2532G1096G5613G3813G1525G3364G1525G1519G932G3772 4So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.G3748G3767G5013G1438G5613G5124G3813G3778G2076G3187G1722G932G3772 5"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.G2532G3739G1437G1209G1520G5108G3813G1909G3450G3686G1209G1691 6But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.G1161G3739G302G4624G1520G5130G3398G3588G4100G1519G1691G4851G846G2443G3458G3684G2910G1909G846G5137G2532G2670G1722G3989G2281 7"What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.G3759G2889G575G4625G1063G318G2076G4625G2064G4133G3759G444G1565G1223G3739G4625G2064 8So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.G1161G1487G4675G5495G2228G4675G4228G4624G1581G846G1581G2532G906G575G4571G4675G2076G2570G4671G1525G1519G2222G5560G2228G2948G2228G2192G1417G5495G2228G1417G4228G906G1519G166G4442 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.G2532G1487G4675G3788G4624G4571G1807G846G1807G2532G906G575G4675G2076G2570G4671G1525G1519G2222G3442G2228G2192G1417G3788G906G1519G1067G4442 10"Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.G3708G2706G3361G1520G5130G3398G1063G3004G5213G3754G1722G3772G846G32G1223G3956G991G4383G3450G3962G3588G1722G3772 11G1063G5207G444G2064G4982G3588G622 12"If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?G5101G1380G5213G1437G5100G444G1096G1540G4263G2532G1520G1537G846G4105G863G3780G863G1768G4198G1909G3735G2212G3588G4105 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn't wander away!G2532G1437G1096G2147G846G281G3004G5213G3754G5463G3123G1909G846G2228G1909G1768G3588G4105G3361G4105 14In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.G3779G2076G3756G2307G1715G5216G3962G3588G1722G3772G2443G1520G5130G3398G622 15"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.G1161G1437G4675G80G264G1519G4571G5217G2532G1651G846G1651G3342G4675G2532G846G3441G1437G191G4675G2770G4675G80 16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.G1161G3362G191G3362G191G3880G3326G4675G1520G2228G1417G2089G2443G1909G4750G1417G2228G5140G3144G3956G4487G2476 17If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.G1161G1437G3878G846G2036G1577G1161G2532G1437G3878G1577G2077G4671G5618G1482G2532G5057 18"I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.G281G3004G5213G3745G1437G1210G1909G1093G2071G1210G1722G3772G2532G3745G1437G3089G1909G1093G2071G3089G1722G3772 19"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.G3825G3004G5213G3754G1437G1417G5216G4856G1909G1093G4012G3956G4229G3739G1437G154G1096G846G3844G3450G3962G3588G1722G3772 20For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."G1063G3757G1417G2228G5140G1526G4863G1519G1699G3686G1563G1510G1722G3319G846 21Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"G5119G4334G4074G846G2036G2962G4212G3450G80G264G1519G1691G2532G863G846G2193G2034 22"No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!G2424G3004G846G3004G3756G4671G2193G2034G235G2193G1441G2033 23"Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.G1223G5124G932G3772G3666G444G935G3739G2309G4868G3056G3326G846G1401 24In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.G1161G846G756G4868G1520G4374G846G3781G846G3463G5007 25He couldn't pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.G1161G846G2192G3361G591G846G2962G2753G846G4097G2532G846G1135G2532G5043G2532G3956G3745G2192G2532G591 26"But the man fell down before his master and begged him, 'Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.'G1401G3767G4098G4352G846G3004G2962G3114G1909G1698G2532G591G4671G3956 27Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.G1161G2962G1565G1401G4697G630G846G2532G863G846G1156 28"But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.G1161G1565G1401G1831G2147G1520G846G4889G3739G3784G846G1540G1220G2532G2902G846G4155G3004G591G3427G3748G3784 29"His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it,' he pleaded.G3767G846G4889G4098G1519G846G4228G3870G846G3004G3114G1909G1698G2532G591G4671G3956 30But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.G1161G2309G3756G235G565G906G846G1519G5438G2193G3739G591G3784 31"When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.G1161G846G4889G1492G1096G4970G3076G2532G2064G1285G846G2962G3956G1096 32Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.G5119G846G2962G4341G846G3004G846G4190G1401G863G4671G3956G1565G3782G1893G3870G3165 33Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'G1163G3756G4571G2532G1653G4675G4889G2532G5613G1473G1653G4571 34Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.G2532G846G2962G3710G3860G846G930G2193G3739G591G3956G3784G846 35"That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart."G3779G3450G2032G3962G4160G2532G5213G3362G575G5216G2588G863G3362G1538G846G80G846G3900
Matthew 19
19When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River.G2532G1096G3753G2424G5055G5128G3056G3332G575G1056G2532G2064G1519G3725G2449G4008G24462Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.G2532G4183G3793G190G846G2532G2323G846G15633Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: "Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?"G5330G2532G4334G846G3985G846G2532G3004G846G1487G1832G444G630G846G1135G2596G3956G1564"Haven't you read the Scriptures?" Jesus replied. "They record that from the beginning 'God made them male and female.'G1161G611G2036G846G314G3756G314G3754G3588G4160G575G746G4160G846G730G2532G23385And he said, 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.'G2532G2036G5127G1752G444G2641G3962G2532G3384G2532G4347G846G1135G2532G1417G2071G1519G3391G45616Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together."G5620G1526G3765G1417G235G3391G4561G3739G3767G2316G4801G5563G3361G444G55637"Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?" they asked.G3004G846G5101G3475G3767G1781G1325G975G647G2532G630G846G6308Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.G3004G846G3754G3475G4314G4641G5216G4641G2010G5213G630G5216G1135G1161G575G746G1096G3756G37799And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful."G1161G3004G5213G3754G3739G302G630G846G1135G1508G1909G4202G2532G1060G243G3429G2532G1060G3588G630G342910Jesus' disciples then said to him, "If this is the case, it is better not to marry!"G846G3101G3004G846G1487G156G444G2076G3779G3326G1135G4851G3756G4851G106011"Not everyone can accept this statement," Jesus said. "Only those whom God helps.G1161G2036G846G3956G3756G5562G5126G3056G235G3739G132512Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can."G1063G1526G2135G3748G3779G1080G1537G3384G2836G2532G1526G2135G3748G2134G5259G444G2532G1526G2135G3748G2134G1438G2134G1223G932G3772G1410G5562G556213One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.G5119G4374G846G3813G2443G2007G5495G2007G846G2532G4336G1161G3101G2008G84614But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."G1161G2424G2036G863G3813G2532G2967G846G3361G2064G4314G3165G1063G5108G2076G932G377215And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.G2532G2007G5495G2007G846G4198G156416Someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"G2532G2400G1520G4334G2036G846G18G1320G5101G18G4160G2443G2192G166G222217"Why ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments."G1161G2036G846G5101G3004G3165G18G3762G18G1508G1520G2316G1161G1487G2309G1525G1519G2222G5083G178518"Which ones?" the man asked. And Jesus replied: "'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.G3004G846G4169G1161G2424G2036G5407G3756G5407G3431G3756G3431G2813G3756G2813G5576G3756G557619Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'"G5091G4675G3962G2532G3384G2532G25G4675G4139G5613G457220"I've obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else must I do?"G3495G3004G846G3956G5023G5442G1537G3450G3503G5101G5302G208921Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."G2424G5346G846G1487G2309G1511G5046G5217G4453G4675G5224G2532G1325G4434G2532G2192G2344G1722G3772G2532G1204G190G342722But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.G1161G3495G191G3056G565G3076G1063G2192G2258G4183G293323Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.G1161G2036G2424G846G3101G281G3004G5213G3754G4145G1423G1525G1519G932G377224I'll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"G1161G3825G3004G5213G2076G2123G2574G1330G1223G5169G4476G2228G4145G1525G1519G932G231625The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.G1161G846G3101G191G4970G1605G3004G5101G686G1410G498226Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."G1161G2424G1689G2036G846G3844G444G5124G2076G102G1161G3844G2316G3956G2076G141527Then Peter said to him, "We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get?"G5119G611G4074G2036G846G2400G2249G863G3956G2532G190G4671G5101G2254G2071G68628Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.G1161G2424G2036G846G281G3004G5213G3754G5210G3588G190G3427G1722G3824G3752G5207G444G2523G1909G2362G846G1391G5210G2532G2523G1909G1427G2362G2919G1427G5443G247429And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.G2532G3956G3739G863G3614G2228G80G2228G79G2228G3962G2228G3384G2228G1135G2228G5043G2228G68G3450G3686G1752G2983G1542G2532G2816G166G222230But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.G1161G4183G4413G2071G2078G2532G2078G4413
Matthew 20
20"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.G1063G932G3772G2076G3664G444G3617G3748G1831G260G4404G3409G2040G1519G846G2902He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.G1161G4856G3326G2040G1537G1220G2250G649G846G1519G846G2903"At nine o'clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.G2532G1831G4012G5154G5610G1492G243G2476G692G1722G584So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.G2036G2548G5217G5210G2532G1519G290G2532G3739G1437G5600G1342G1325G5213G1161G5655So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o'clock he did the same thing.G3825G1831G4012G1623G2532G1766G5610G4160G56156"At five o'clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, 'Why haven't you been working today?'G1161G4012G1734G5610G1831G2147G243G2476G692G2532G3004G846G5101G2476G5602G3650G2250G6927"They replied, 'Because no one hired us.' "The landowner told them, 'Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.'G3004G846G3754G3762G3409G2248G3004G846G5217G5210G2532G1519G290G2532G3739G1437G5600G1342G29838"That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.G1161G3798G1096G2962G290G3004G846G2012G2564G2040G2532G591G846G3408G756G575G2078G2193G44139When those hired at five o'clock were paid, each received a full day's wage.G2532G2064G4012G1734G5610G2983G303G122010When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day's wage.G1161G4413G2064G3543G3754G2983G4119G2532G2532G2983G846G303G122011When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,G1161G2983G1111G2596G361712'Those people worked only one hour, and yet you've paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.'G3754G3004G3778G2078G4160G3391G5610G2532G4160G846G2470G2254G3588G941G922G2532G2742G225013"He answered one of them, 'Friend, I haven't been unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage?G1161G611G1520G846G2036G2083G91G4571G3756G91G4856G3780G4856G3427G122014Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.G142G4674G2532G5217G1161G2309G1325G5129G2078G2532G5613G467115Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?'G2228G3756G1832G3427G4160G3739G2309G1722G1699G1487G2076G4675G3788G4190G3754G1473G1510G1816"So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last."G3779G2078G2071G4413G2532G4413G2078G1063G4183G1526G2822G1161G3641G158817As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.G2532G2424G305G1519G2414G3880G1427G3101G2596G2398G1722G3598G2532G2036G84618"Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.G2400G305G1519G2414G2532G5207G444G3860G749G2532G1122G2532G2632G846G228819Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead."G2532G3860G846G1484G1519G1702G2532G3146G2532G4717G2532G5154G2250G45020Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.G5119G4334G846G3384G2199G5207G3326G846G5207G4352G2532G154G5100G3844G84621"What is your request?" he asked. She replied, "In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."G1161G2036G846G5101G2309G3004G846G2036G2443G3778G3450G1417G5207G2523G1520G1537G4675G1188G2532G1520G1537G2176G1722G4675G93222But Jesus answered by saying to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"G1161G2424G611G2036G1492G3756G5101G154G1410G4095G4221G3739G1473G3195G4095G2532G907G908G3739G1473G907G3004G846G141023Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."G2532G3004G846G4095G3303G3450G4221G2532G907G908G3739G1473G907G1161G2523G1537G3450G1188G2532G1537G3450G2176G2076G3756G1699G1325G235G3739G2090G5259G3450G396224When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.G2532G1176G191G23G4012G1417G8025But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.G1161G2424G4341G846G2036G1492G3754G758G1484G2634G846G2532G3173G2715G84626But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,G1161G2071G3756G2071G3779G1722G5213G235G3739G1437G2309G1096G3173G1722G5213G2077G5216G124927and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.G2532G3739G1437G2309G1511G4413G1722G5213G2077G5216G140128For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."G5618G5207G444G2064G3756G1247G235G1247G2532G1325G846G5590G3083G473G418329As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind.G2532G846G1607G575G2410G4183G3793G190G84630Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"G2532G2400G1417G5185G2521G3598G3844G191G3754G2424G3855G2896G3004G1653G2248G2962G5207G113831"Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"G1161G3793G2008G846G2443G4623G1161G2896G3185G3004G1653G2248G2962G5207G113832When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"G2532G2424G2476G5455G846G2532G2036G5101G2309G4160G521333"Lord," they said, "we want to see!"G3004G846G2962G2443G2257G3788G45534Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.G1161G2424G4697G680G846G3788G2532G2112G846G3788G308G2532G190G846
Dublin, OH
is welcoming me.G2532
