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15 `If your brother does something wrong to you, go to him. Talk alone to him and tell him what he has done. If he listens to you, you have kept your brother as a friend.

16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two others with you to talk to him. Then two or three people will hear every word and can prove what was said.

17 If he does not listen to them, tell the church. If he does not listen to the church, treat him as one who does not believe in God and as bad as a tax collector.'

18 `I tell you the truth. What you tie on earth will be tied in heaven. What you set free on earth will be set free in heaven.

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Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault,(A) 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.’[c](B) 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(C) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(D)

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
  2. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
  3. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
  4. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  5. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been