Matthew 17:22-18:10
New American Standard Bible
22 And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be [a]handed over to men; 23 and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.
The Temple Tax
24 Now when they came to Capernaum, those who collected the [b]two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the [c]two-drachma tax?” 25 He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or [d]poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are [e]exempt. 27 However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a [f]stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”
Rank in the Kingdom
18 At that [g]time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you [h]change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me; 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to [i]sin, it is better for him that a [j]heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Stumbling Blocks
7 “Woe to the world because of its [k]stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that [l]stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the [m]stumbling block comes!
8 “And if your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the [n]fiery hell.
10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.[o]
Footnotes
a. Matthew 17:22 Or betrayed
b. Matthew 17:24 Equivalent to about two denarii or two days’ wages for a laborer, paid as a temple tax
c. Matthew 17:24 Equivalent to about two denarii or two days’ wages for a laborer, paid as a temple tax
d. Matthew 17:25 I.e., a tax on each person in the census
e. Matthew 17:26 Lit free
f. Matthew 17:27 A silver four-drachma Greek coin
g. Matthew 18:1 Lit hour
h. Matthew 18:3 Lit turn
i. Matthew 18:6 Or stumble, and so throughout the ch
j. Matthew 18:6 Lit millstone turned by a donkey
k. Matthew 18:7 I.e., enticements to sin
l. Matthew 18:7 I.e., enticements to sin
m. Matthew 18:7 I.e., enticements to sin
n. Matthew 18:9 Lit Gehenna of fire
o. Matthew 18:10 Late mss add (traditionally v 11): For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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