Bible in Basic English
A curse is on the earth because of trouble! for it is necessary for trouble to come; but unhappy is that man through whom the trouble comes.
And if your hand or your foot is a cause of trouble, let it be cut off and put it away from you: it is better for you to go into life with the loss of a hand or a foot than, having two hands or two feet, to go into the eternal fire.
And if your eye is a cause of trouble to you, take it out, and put it away from you: it is better for you to go into life with one eye than, having two eyes, to go into the hell of fire.
Let it not seem to you that one of these little ones is of no value; for I say to you that in heaven their angels see at all times the face of my Father in heaven.
What would you say now? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away, will he not let the ninety-nine be, and go to the mountains in search of the wandering one?
And if he comes across it, truly I say to you, he has more joy over it than over the ninety-nine which have not gone out of the way.
Even so it is not the pleasure of your Father in heaven for one of these little ones to come to destruction.
And if your brother does wrong to you, go, make clear to him his error between you and him in private: if he gives ear to you, you have got your brother back again.
But if he will not give ear to you, take with you one or two more, that by the lips of two or three witnesses every word may be made certain.
And if he will not give ear to them, let it come to the hearing of the church: and if he will not give ear to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-farmer.
Truly I say to you, Whatever things are fixed by you on earth will be fixed in heaven: and whatever you make free on earth will be made free in heaven.
Again, I say to you, that if two of you are in agreement on earth about anything for which they will make a request, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are come together in my name, there am I among them.
Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, what number of times may my brother do wrong against me, and I give him forgiveness? till seven times?
Jesus says to him, I say not to you, Till seven times; but, Till seventy times seven.
For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king, who went over his accounts with his servants.
And at the start, one came to him who was in his debt for ten thousand talents.
And because he was not able to make payment, his lord gave orders for him, and his wife, and his sons and daughters, and all he had, to be given for money, and payment to be made.
So the servant went down on his face and gave him worship, saying, Lord, give me time to make payment and I will give you all.
And the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let him go, and made him free of the debt.
But that servant went out, and meeting one of the other servants, who was in debt to him for one hundred pence, he took him by the throat, saying, Make payment of your debt.
So that servant went down on his face, requesting him and saying, Give me time and I will make payment to you.
And he would not: but went and put him into prison till he had made payment of the debt.
So when the other servants saw what was done they were very sad, and came and gave word to their lord of what had been done.
Then his lord sent for him and said, You evil servant; I made you free of all that debt, because of your request to me:
Was it not right for you to have mercy on the other servant, even as I had mercy on you?
And his lord was very angry, and put him in the hands of those who would give him punishment till he made payment of all the debt.
So will my Father in heaven do to you, if you do not everyone, from your hearts, give forgiveness to his brother.
— Matthew 18:7-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. ”
Whoever, then, will make himself as low as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever gives honour to one such little child in my name, gives honour to me:
But whoever is a cause of trouble to one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him to have a great stone fixed to his neck, and to come to his end in the deep sea.
A curse is on the earth because of trouble! for it is necessary for trouble to come; but unhappy is that man through whom the trouble comes.
And if your hand or your foot is a cause of trouble, let it be cut off and put it away from you: it is better for you to go into life with the loss of a hand or a foot than, having two hands or two feet, to go into the eternal fire.
And if your eye is a cause of trouble to you, take it out, and put it away from you: it is better for you to go into life with one eye than, having two eyes, to go into the hell of fire.
Let it not seem to you that one of these little ones is of no value; for I say to you that in heaven their angels see at all times the face of my Father in heaven.
What would you say now? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away, will he not let the ninety-nine be, and go to the mountains in search of the wandering one?
And if he comes across it, truly I say to you, he has more joy over it than over the ninety-nine which have not gone out of the way.
Even so it is not the pleasure of your Father in heaven for one of these little ones to come to destruction.
And if your brother does wrong to you, go, make clear to him his error between you and him in private: if he gives ear to you, you have got your brother back again.
But if he will not give ear to you, take with you one or two more, that by the lips of two or three witnesses every word may be made certain.
And if he will not give ear to them, let it come to the hearing of the church: and if he will not give ear to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-farmer.
Truly I say to you, Whatever things are fixed by you on earth will be fixed in heaven: and whatever you make free on earth will be made free in heaven.
Again, I say to you, that if two of you are in agreement on earth about anything for which they will make a request, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are come together in my name, there am I among them.
Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, what number of times may my brother do wrong against me, and I give him forgiveness? till seven times?
Jesus says to him, I say not to you, Till seven times; but, Till seventy times seven.
For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king, who went over his accounts with his servants.
And at the start, one came to him who was in his debt for ten thousand talents.
And because he was not able to make payment, his lord gave orders for him, and his wife, and his sons and daughters, and all he had, to be given for money, and payment to be made.
So the servant went down on his face and gave him worship, saying, Lord, give me time to make payment and I will give you all.
And the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let him go, and made him free of the debt.
But that servant went out, and meeting one of the other servants, who was in debt to him for one hundred pence, he took him by the throat, saying, Make payment of your debt.
So that servant went down on his face, requesting him and saying, Give me time and I will make payment to you.
And he would not: but went and put him into prison till he had made payment of the debt.
So when the other servants saw what was done they were very sad, and came and gave word to their lord of what had been done.
Then his lord sent for him and said, You evil servant; I made you free of all that debt, because of your request to me:
Was it not right for you to have mercy on the other servant, even as I had mercy on you?
And his lord was very angry, and put him in the hands of those who would give him punishment till he made payment of all the debt.
So will my Father in heaven do to you, if you do not everyone, from your hearts, give forgiveness to his brother.