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Faith and Service

(Matthew 18.6,7,21,22; Mark 9.42)

17 Jesus said to his disciples:

There will always be something that causes people to sin. But anyone who causes them to sin is in for trouble. A person who causes even one of my little followers to sin would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their neck. (A) So be careful what you do.

Correct any followers[a] of mine who sin, and forgive the ones who say they are sorry. Even if one of them mistreats you seven times in one day and says, “I am sorry,” you should still forgive that person.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Make our faith stronger!”

Jesus replied:

If you had faith no bigger than a tiny mustard seed, you could tell this mulberry tree to pull itself up, roots and all, and to plant itself in the ocean. And it would!

If your servant comes in from plowing or from taking care of the sheep, would you say, “Welcome! Come on in and have something to eat”? No, you wouldn't say that. You would say, “Prepare me something to eat. Get ready to serve me, so I can have my meal. Then later on you can eat and drink.” Servants don't deserve special thanks for doing what they are supposed to do. 10 And that's how it should be with you. When you've done all you should, then say, “We are merely servants, and we have simply done our duty.”

Ten Men with Leprosy

11 On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus went along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy[b] came toward him. They stood at a distance 13 and shouted, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14 (B) Jesus looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”[c]

On their way they were healed. 15 When one of them discovered that he was healed, he came back, shouting praises to God. 16 He bowed down at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was from the country of Samaria.

17 Jesus asked, “Weren't ten men healed? Where are the other nine? 18 Why was this foreigner the only one who came back to thank God?” 19 Then Jesus told the man, “You may get up and go. Your faith has made you well.”

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Footnotes

  1. 17.3 followers: The Greek text has “brothers,” which is often used in the New Testament for followers of Jesus.
  2. 17.12 leprosy: See the note at 4.27.
  3. 17.14 show yourselves to the priests: See the note at 5.14.

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