Discipline and Prayer

15 “Now (A)if your brother sins[a], go and [b]show him his fault [c]in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that (B)on the [d]testimony of two or three witnesses every [e]matter may be confirmed. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, (C)tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, (D)he is to be to you as [f]a Gentile and [g]a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, (E)whatever you [h]bind on earth [i]shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you [j]loose on earth [k]shall have been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, (F)it shall be done for them [l]by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, (G)I am there in their midst.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:15 Late mss add against you
  2. Matthew 18:15 Or correct
  3. Matthew 18:15 Lit between you and him alone
  4. Matthew 18:16 Lit mouth
  5. Matthew 18:16 Lit word
  6. Matthew 18:17 Lit the
  7. Matthew 18:17 Lit the
  8. Matthew 18:18 I.e., forbid
  9. Matthew 18:18 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense
  10. Matthew 18:18 I.e., permit
  11. Matthew 18:18 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense
  12. Matthew 18:19 Lit from

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)

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

Read full chapter

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