The Parable of the Wandering Sheep^(A)

¹⁰ “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels^(B) 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,^(C) 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](D) 17} If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;^(E) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.^(F)

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.^(G)

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^(H) by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”^(I)

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?^(J) Up to seven times?”^(K)

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

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like^(M) a king who wanted to settle accounts^(N) 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,^(O) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold^(P) to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.^(Q) ‘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.

Psalm 138

Of David.

²¹ I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus^(A) and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^(A) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^(B) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.

⁶ Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?