Dealing with a Sinning Brother

¹⁵ “Moreover ^(A)if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, ^(B)you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ^(C)‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a ^(D)heathen and a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, ^(E)whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

^19 (F)“Again^[a] I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, ^(G)it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered ^(H)together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

^19 (A)Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds ^(B)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart^(C)

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those ^[a]of old, ^(D)‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that ^(E)whoever is angry with his brother ^[b]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ^(F)‘Raca!’^[c] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ^[d]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of ^[e]hell fire. ²³ Therefore ^(G)if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ^24 (H)leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ^25 (I)Agree with your adversary quickly, ^(J)while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

³² And ^(A)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(B)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.