玛窦福音 Matthew Chapter 18
Matthew
Chapter 18

1 1 At that time the disciples 2 approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

就在那时刻,门徒来到耶稣跟前说:“在天国里究竟谁是最大的?”

2 He called a child over, placed it in their midst,

耶稣就叫一个小孩来,使他站在他们中间,

3 and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, 3 you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

说:“我实在告诉你们:你们若不变成如同小孩一样,你们决不能进天国。

4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

所以,谁若自谦自卑如同这一个小孩,这人就是天国中最大的。”

5 4 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“无论谁因我的名字,收留一个这样的小孩,就是收留我;

6 "Whoever causes one of these little ones 5 who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

但无论谁,使这些信我的小孩子中的一个跌倒,倒不如拿一块驴拉的磨石,系在他的颈上,沉在海的深处更好。

7 6 Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

世界因了恶表是有祸的,恶表固然免不了要来,但立恶表的那人是有祸的。

8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, 7 cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire.

为此,倘若你的手,或你的脚使你跌倒,砍下它来,从你身上扔掉,为你或残废或瘸进入生命,比有双手双脚而被投入永火中更好。

9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.

倘若你的眼使你跌倒,剜出它来,,从你身上扔掉,为你有一只眼进入生命,比有双眼而被投入永火中更好。

10 8 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, 9 for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

你们小心,不要轻视这些小子中的一个,因为我告诉你们:他们的天使在天上,常见我在天之父的面。

11For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost8

因为人子来是为救那丧亡了的。

12 What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?

你们以为如何?如果一个人有一百只羊,其中一只迷失了路,他岂不把那九十九只留在山上,而去寻找那只迷失了路的吗?

13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

如果他幸运找着了,我实在告诉你们:他为这一只,比为那九十九只没有迷路的,更觉欢喜;

14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.

同样,使这些小子中的一个丧亡,决不是你们在天之父的意愿。”

15 11 "If your brother 12 sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.

如果你的弟兄得罪了你,去,要在你和他独处的时候,规劝他;如果他听从了你,你便赚得了你的兄弟;

16 13 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'

但他如果不听,你就另带上一个或两个人,为叫任何事情,凭两个或三个见证人的口供,得以成立。

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. 14 If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

若是他仍不听从他们,你要告诉教会;如果他连教会也不听从,你就将他看作外教人或税吏。

18 15 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

我实在告诉你们:凡你们在地上所束縳的,在天上也要被束縳;凡你们在地上所释放的,在天上也要被释放。

19 16 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.

我实在告诉你们:若你们中二人,在地上同心合意,无论为什么事祈祷,我在天之父,必要给他们成就,

20 17 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

因为那里有两个或三个人,因我的名字聚在一起,我就在他们中间。”

21 18 Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

那时,伯多禄前来对耶稣说:“主啊!若我的弟兄得罪了我,我该宽恕他多少次?直到七次吗?”

22 19 Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

耶稣对他说:“我不对你说:直到七次,而是到七十个七次。

23 That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.

为此天国好比一个君王,要同他的仆人算账。

24 20 When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.

他开始算账的时候,给他送来一个欠他一万“塔冷通”的,

25 Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.

因他没有可还的,主人就下令,要他把自己和妻子儿女,以及他所有的一切,都变卖来还债。

26 21 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'

那仆人就俯伏在地叩拜他说:主啊!容忍我吧!一切我都要还给你。

27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.

那仆人的主人就动心把他释放了,并且也赦免了他的债。

28 When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. 22 He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,‘Pay back what you owe.'

但那仆人正出去时,遇见一个欠他一百“德纳”的同伴,他就抓住他,扼住他的喉咙说:还你欠的债!

29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

他的同伴就俯伏在地哀求他说:容忍我吧!我必还给你。

30 But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.

可是他不愿意,且把他下在监里,直到他还清了欠债。

31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.

他的同伴见到所发生的事,非常悲愤,遂去把所发生的一切告诉了主人。

32 His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.

于是主人把那仆人叫来,对他说:恶仆!因为你哀求了我,我赦免了你那一切的债;

33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?'

难道你不该怜悯你的同伴,如同我怜悯了你一样吗!

34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. 23

他的主人大怒,遂把他交给刑役,直到他还清所欠的一切。

35 24 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."

如果你们不各自从心里宽恕自己的弟兄,我的天父也要这样对待你们。”

Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-35] This discourse of the fourth book of the gospel is often called the "church order" discourse, but it lacks most of the considerations usually connected with church order, such as various offices in the church and the duties of each, and deals principally with the relations that must obtain among the members of the church. Beginning with the warning that greatness in the kingdom of heaven is measured not by rank or power but by childlikeness (Matthew 18:1-5), it deals with the care that the disciples must take not to cause the little ones to sin or to neglect them if they stray from the community (Matthew 18:6-14), the correction of members who sin (Matthew 18:15-18), the efficacy of the prayer of the disciples because of the presence of Jesus (Matthew 18:19-20), and the forgiveness that must be repeatedly extended to sinful members who repent (Matthew 18:21-35).

2 [1] The initiative is taken not by Jesus as in the Marcan parallel (Mark 9:33-34) but by the disciples. Kingdom of heaven: this may mean the kingdom in its fullness, i.e., after the parousia and the final judgment. But what follows about causes of sin, church discipline, and forgiveness, all dealing with the present age, suggests that the question has to do with rank also in the church, where the kingdom is manifested here and now, although only partially and by anticipation; see the notes on Matthew 3:2; 4:17.

3 [3] Become like children: the child is held up as a model for the disciples not because of any supposed innocence of children but because of their complete dependence on, and trust in, their parents. So must the disciples be, in respect to God.

4 [5] Cf Matthew 10:40.

5 [6] One of these little ones: the thought passes from the child of Matthew 18:2-4 to the disciples, little ones because of their becoming like children. It is difficult to know whether this is a designation of all who are disciples or of those who are insignificant in contrast to others, e.g., the leaders of the community. Since apart from this chapter the designation little ones occurs in Matthew only in Matthew 10:42 where it means disciples as such, that is its more likely meaning here. Who believe in me: since discipleship is impossible without at least some degree of faith, this further specification seems superfluous. However, it serves to indicate that the warning against causing a little one to sin is principally directed against whatever would lead such a one to a weakening or loss of faith. The Greek verb skandalizein, here translated causes . . . to sin, means literally "causes to stumble"; what the stumbling is depends on the context. It is used of falling away from faith in Matthew 13:21. According to the better reading of Mark 9:42, in me is a Matthean addition to the Marcan source. It would be better . . . depths of the sea: cf Mark 9:42.

6 [7] This is a Q saying; cf Luke 17:1. The inevitability of things that cause sin (literally, "scandals") does not take away the responsibility of the one through whom they come. Matthew 18:8-9

7 [8] These verses are a doublet of Matthew 5:29-30. In that context they have to do with causes of sexual sin. As in the Marcan source from which they have been drawn (Mark 9:42-48), they differ from the first warning about scandal, which deals with causing another person to sin, for they concern what causes oneself to sin and they do not seem to be related to another's loss of faith, as the first warning is. It is difficult to know how Matthew understood the logical connection between these verses and Matthew 18:6-7.

8 [10-14] The first and last verses are peculiar to Matthew. The parable itself comes from Q; see Luke 15:3-7. In Luke it serves as justification for Jesus' table-companionship with sinners; here, it is an exhortation for the disciples to seek out fellow disciples who have gone astray. Not only must no one cause a fellow disciple to sin, but those who have strayed must be sought out and, if possible, brought back to the community. The joy of the shepherd on finding the sheep, though not absent in Matthew 18:13 is more emphasized in Luke. By his addition of Matthew 18:10, 14 Matthew has drawn out explicitly the application of the parable to the care of the little ones.

9 [10] Their angels in heaven . . . my heavenly Father: for the Jewish belief in angels as guardians of nations and individuals, see Daniel 10:13, 20-21; Tobit 5:4-7; 1QH 5:20-22; as intercessors who present the prayers of human beings to God, see Tobit 13:12, 15. The high worth of the little ones is indicated by their being represented before God by these heavenly beings.

10 [11] Some manuscripts add, "For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost"; cf Matthew 9:13. This is practically identical with Luke 19:10 and is probably a copyist's addition from that source.

11 [15-20] Passing from the duty of Christian disciples toward those who have strayed from their number, the discourse now turns to how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. First there is to be private correction (Matthew 18:15); if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses (Matthew 18:16); if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (the church), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled (Matthew 18:17). The church's judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God (Matthew 18:18). This three-step process of correction corresponds, though not exactly, to the procedure of the Qumran community; see 1QS 5:25-6:1; 6:24-7:25; CD 9:2-8. The section ends with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small (Matthew 18:19-20). Whether this prayer has anything to do with the preceding judgment is uncertain.

12 [15] Your brother: a fellow disciple; see Matthew 23:8. The bracketed words, against you, are widely attested but they are not in the important codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus or in some other textual witnesses. Their omission broadens the type of sin in question. Won over: literally, "gained."

13 [16] Cf Deut 19:15.

14 [17] The church: the second of the only two instances of this word in the gospels; see the note on Matthew 16:18. Here it refers not to the entire church of Jesus, as in Matthew 16:18, but to the local congregation. Treat him . . . a Gentile or a tax collector: just as the observant Jew avoided the company of Gentiles and tax collectors, so must the congregation of Christian disciples separate itself from the arrogantly sinful member who refuses to repent even when convicted of his sin by the whole church. Such a one is to be set outside the fellowship of the community. The harsh language about Gentile and tax collector probably reflects a stage of the Matthean church when it was principally composed of Jewish Christians. That time had long since passed, but the principle of exclusion for such a sinner remained. Paul makes a similar demand for excommunication in 1 Cor 5:1-13.

15 [18] Except for the plural of the verbs bind and loose, this verse is practically identical with Matthew 16:19b and many scholars understand it as granting to all the disciples what was previously given to Peter alone. For a different view, based on the different contexts of the two verses, see the note on Matthew 16:19.

16 [19-20] Some take these verses as applying to prayer on the occasion of the church's gathering to deal with the sinner of Matthew 18:17. Unless an a fortiori argument is supposed, this seems unlikely. God's answer to the prayer of two or three envisages a different situation from one that involves the entire congregation. In addition, the object of this prayer is expressed in most general terms as anything for which they are to pray.

17 [20] For where two or three . . . midst of them: the presence of Jesus guarantees the efficacy of the prayer. This saying is similar to one attributed to a rabbi executed in A.D. 135 at the time of the second Jewish revolt: ". . . When two sit and there are between them the words of the Torah, the divine presence (Shekinah) rests upon them" (Pirqe Abot 3:3).

18 [21-35] The final section of the discourse deals with the forgiveness that the disciples are to give to their fellow disciples who sin against them. To the question of Peter how often forgiveness is to be granted (Matthew 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit (Matthew 18:22) and illustrates this with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-34), warning that his heavenly Father will give those who do not forgive the same treatment as that given to the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:35). Matthew 18:21-22 correspond to Luke 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. That the Parable did not originally belong to this context is suggested by the fact that it really does not deal with repeated forgiveness, which is the point of Peter's question and Jesus' reply.

19 [22] Seventy-seven times: the Greek corresponds exactly to the LXX of Genesis 4:24. There is probably an allusion, by contrast, to the limitless vengeance of Lamech in the Genesis text. In any case, what is demanded of the disciples is limitless forgiveness.

20 [24] A huge amount: literally, "ten thousand talents." The talent was a unit of coinage of high but varying value depending on its metal (gold, silver, copper) and its place of origin. It is mentioned in the New Testament only here and in Matthew 25:14-30.

21 [26] Pay you back in full: an empty promise, given the size of the debt.

22 [28] A much smaller amount: literally, "a hundred denarii." A denarius was the normal daily wage of a laborer. The difference between the two debts is enormous and brings out the absurdity of the conduct of the Christian who has received the great forgiveness of God and yet refuses to forgive the relatively minor offenses done to him.

23 [34] Since the debt is so great as to be unpayable, the punishment will be endless.

24 [35] The Father's forgiveness, already given, will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not imitated his forgiveness by their own.