⁷ “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel.^(A) When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me. ⁸ If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, you will surely die,’^(B) but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that wicked person will die for his iniquity, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. ⁹ But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself.

Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

Of David. A Maskil.

A Christian’s Duties to the State

13 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities,^(A) since there is no authority except from God,^(B) and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. ² So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers are not a terror^(C) to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. ⁴ For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger^(D) that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. ⁵ Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience.^{(E) 6} And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks.^{[a] 7} Pay your obligations^(F) to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes,^(G) tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect,^(H) and honor to those you owe honor.

Love, Our Primary Duty

⁸ Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.^{(I) 9} The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal;^[b] do not covet;^[c](J) and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{[d](K) 10} Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Who Is the Greatest?

18 At that time^[a](A) the disciples^(B) came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ^{(C) 2} He called a small child and had him stand among them. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children,^(D) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^{(E) 4} Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes^[b] one child like this in my name welcomes me.

⁶ “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.^{(F) 7} Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes.^{(G) 8} If your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.^{(H) 9} And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.^[c](I)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹⁰ “See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones,^(J) because I tell you that in heaven their angels^(K) continually view the face of my Father in heaven.^{[d](L) 12} What do you think?^(M) If someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray?^{(N) 13} And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over that sheep^[e] more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

Restoring a Brother

¹⁵ “If your brother sins against you,^[f] go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.^{(O) 16} But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony^[g] of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.^{[h](P) 17} If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church.^[i](Q) If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you.^{(R) 18} Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound^[j] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed^[k] in heaven.^{(S) 19} Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you^[l] pray for, it will be done for you^[m] by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”