Saying 2

Sin, Faith, Duty

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble^(A) are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.^{(B) 2} It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones^(C) to stumble.^{(D) 3} So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister^[a] sins against you, rebuke them;^(E) and if they repent, forgive them.^{(F) 4} Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”^(G)

⁵ The apostles^(H) said to the Lord,^(I) “Increase our faith!”

⁶ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,^(J) you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.^(K)

⁷ “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? ⁸ Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me^(L) while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? ⁹ Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”^(M)

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you^(A) on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner^(B) of Christ Jesus— ¹⁰ that I appeal to you for my son^(C) Onesimus,^[a](D) who became my son while I was in chains.^{(E) 11} Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

¹² I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. ¹³ I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains^(F) for the gospel. ¹⁴ But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced^(G) but would be voluntary. ¹⁵ Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— ¹⁶ no longer as a slave,^(H) but better than a slave, as a dear brother.^(I) He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

¹⁷ So if you consider me a partner,^(J) welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.^{(K) 19} I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.^(L) I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. ²⁰ I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh^(M) my heart in Christ. ²¹ Confident^(N) of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

²² And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be^(O) restored to you in answer to your prayers.^(P)

²³ Epaphras,^(Q) my fellow prisoner^(R) in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. ²⁴ And so do Mark,^(S) Aristarchus,^(T) Demas^(U) and Luke, my fellow workers.^(V)

²⁵ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^(W)