Matthew 18:21-19:15

Contemporary English Version

An Official Who Refused To Forgive

^21 (A) Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone^[a] who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?”

^22 (B) Jesus answered:

Not just 7 times, but 77 times!^{[b] 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.

Teaching about Divorce

(Mark 10.1-12)

19 When Jesus finished teaching, he left Galilee and went to the part of Judea east of the Jordan River. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed their sick.

³ Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. They came up to him and asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

^4 (C) Jesus answered, “Don't you know in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? ^5 (D) That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. ⁶ Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple God has joined together.”

^7 (E) The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why did Moses say a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “You are so heartless! That's why Moses allowed you to divorce your wife. But from the beginning God did not intend it to be that way. ^9 (F) I say if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin,^[c] you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful.”

¹⁰ The disciples said, “If that's how it is between a man and a woman, it's better not to get married.”

¹¹ Jesus told them, “Only those people who have been given the gift of staying single can accept this teaching. ¹² Some people are unable to marry because of birth defects or because of what someone has done to their bodies. Others stay single in order to serve God better. Anyone who can accept this teaching should do so.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

(Mark 10.13-16; Luke 18.15-17)

¹³ Some people brought their children to Jesus, so he could place his hands on them and pray for them. His disciples told the people to stop bothering him. ¹⁴ But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and don't try to stop them! People who are like these children belong to God's kingdom.”^{[d] 15} After Jesus had placed his hands on the children, he left.