Aliye Mkuu Katika Ufalme Wa Mbinguni

18 Wakati huo, wanafunzi walimjia Yesu wakamwuliza, “Ni nani aliye mkuu kuliko wote katika Ufalme wa mbinguni?” Yesu akam wita mtoto mdogo akamsimamisha mbele yao. Kisha akasema, “Nawa hakikishieni kwamba msipobadilika na kuwa kama watoto wadogo, kamwe hamtaingia katika Ufalme wa mbinguni. Kwa hiyo mtu ye yote anayejinyenyekeza akawa kama huyu mtoto, ndiye aliye mkuu kuliko wote katika Ufalme wa mbinguni.

“Na ye yote anayemkaribisha mtoto mdogo kama huyu kwa jina langu, ananikaribisha mimi. Lakini kama mtu ye yote anamsabab isha mmojawapo wa hawa wadogo wanaoniamini atende dhambi, ingali kuwa nafuu kwake afungiwe jiwe la kusagia shingoni mwake akazam ishwe katika kilindi cha bahari. Ole kwa ulimwengu, kwa sababu ya mambo yanayosababisha watu kutenda dhambi! Mambo hayo lazima yawepo, lakini ole wake mtu yule ambaye huyaleta. Ikiwa mkono wako au mguu wako unakusababisha utende dhambi, ukate, uutupilie mbali. Ni afadhali kwako kuingia katika uzima ukiwa na mkono mmoja au mguu mmoja, kuliko kuwa na mikono miwili na miguu miwili lakini ukatupwa katika moto wa milele. Na kama jicho lako lina kusababisha utende dhambi ling’oe, ulitupe mbali. Ni afadhali kwako kuingia katika uzima ukiwa na jicho moja, kuliko kuwa na macho mawili lakini ukatupwa katika moto wa Jehena.

10 “Angalia usimdharau mmojawapo wa hawa wadogo, kwa maana nawaambieni, malaika wao mbinguni wanaonana daima na Baba yangu aliye mbinguni.” [ 11 Maana mimi Mwana wa Adamu nilikuja kuokoa kilichopotea.]

Mfano Wa Kondoo Aliyepotea

12 “Mnaonaje? Kama mtu ana kondoo mia moja na mmoja wao akapotea, hatawaacha wale tisini na tisa mlimani aende kumtafuta yule aliyepotea? 13 Na akisha mpata, nawaambia kweli, anafurahi zaidi kwa ajili ya huyo kondoo mmoja kuliko kwa wale tisini na tisa ambao hawakupotea. 14 Hali kadhalika, Baba yenu wa mbin guni hapendi hata mmojawapo wa hawa wadogo apotee.”

Ndugu Yako Akikukosea

15 “Kama ndugu yako akikukosea, nenda ukamwambie kosa lake mkiwa ninyi wawili peke yenu. Akikusikiliza, utakuwa umempata tena ndugu yako. 16 Kama hatakusikiliza, nenda na mtu mwingine mmoja au wawili kusudi wawepo mashahidi wawili au watatu wa kuthi bitisha jambo hilo. 17 Akikataa kuwasikiliza, liambie kanisa. Kama akikataa kulisikiliza kanisa, basi mhesabu yeye kama ni mpa gani au mtoza ushuru.

18 “Nawaambieni kweli, lo lote mtakalokataza duniani lita kuwa limekatazwa mbinguni. Na lo lote mtakaloruhusu duniani litaruhusiwa mbinguni.

19 “Tena ninawaambia, ikiwa wawili kati yenu mtakubaliana hapa duniani kuhusu jambo lo lote mnaloomba, Baba yangu wa mbin guni atawatimizia. 20 Kwa maana wanapokutana watu wawili au watatu katika jina langu, hapo mimi nipo pamoja nao.”

Hakuna Mwisho Wa Kusamehe

21 Kisha Petro akaja kwa Yesu akamwuliza, “Bwana, ndugu yangu anikosee mara ngapi nami niendelee kumsamehe? Hata mara saba?” 22 Yesu akamjibu, “Sikuambii mara saba, bali saba mara sabini.”

Mfano Wa Mdaiwa Asiyesamehe

23 “Kwa hiyo Ufalme wa mbinguni unaweza kufananishwa na mfalme aliyetaka kukamilisha hesabu zake za fedha na watumishi wake. 24 Alipoanza kukagua hesabu zake, mtu mmoja aliyekuwa na deni la mamilioni ya shilingi, aliletwa kwake. 25 Na kwa kuwa alikuwa hawezi kulipa deni hilo, bwana wake aliamuru kwamba auzwe, yeye, mke wake, watoto wake na vyote alivyo navyo, ili zipatikane fedha za kulipa deni lake.

26 “Yule mtumishi akapiga magoti, akamsihi yule bwana akisema, ‘Naomba univumilie, nitakulipa deni lako lote.’ 27 Yule bwana akamwonea huruma, akafuta deni lake lote, akamwachilia.

28 “Lakini yule mtumishi alipotoka, alikutana na mtumishi mwenzake aliyekuwa amemkopesha shilingi chache. Akamkamata, akam kaba koo akimwambia, ‘Nilipe deni langu!’

29 “Yule mtumishi mwenzake akapiga magoti akamsihi akisema, ‘Naomba univumilie, nitakulipa deni lako lote.’ 30 Lakini akaka taa. Badala yake akampeleka afungwe gerezani mpaka aweze kulipa hilo deni.

31 “Watumishi wenzake walipoona mambo haya, walisikitika sana. Wakamwendea bwana wao wakamweleza yote yaliyotokea.

32 “Yule bwana akamwita yule mtumishi akamwambia, ‘Wewe mtumishi mwovu, uliponisihi, nilikusamehe deni lako lote. 33 Je, hukupaswa kumhurumia mtumishi mwenzako kama mimi nilivyokuhuru mia?’ 34 Kwa hasira yule bwana akamkabidhi yule mtumishi kwa askari wa gereza mpaka atakapomaliza kulipa deni lote.

35 “Na hivi ndivyo Baba yangu wa mbinguni atakavyomfanyia kila mmoja wenu ambaye hatamsamehe ndugu yake kwa moyo.”

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven(A)

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,(B) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(C) Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.(D) And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.(E)

Causing to Stumble

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.(F) Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!(G) If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,(H) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble,(I) 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 the fire of hell.(J)

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep(K)

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels(L) in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11] [a]

12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault,(M) just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[d](N) 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(O) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(P)

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.(Q)

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them(R) by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”(S)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?(T) Up to seven times?”(U)

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g](V)

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like(W) a king who wanted to settle accounts(X) with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay,(Y) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold(Z) to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.(AA) ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.
  2. Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
  3. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
  4. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
  5. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  6. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  7. Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
  8. Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
  9. Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).