Confronting a Brother Who Sins Against You

15 “Now if your brother sins against you, go correct him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take with you in addition one or two others, so that by the testimony[a] of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it[b] to the church. But if he refuses to listen to the church also, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven. 19 Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:16 Literally “the mouth”
  2. Matthew 18:17 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

Restoring a Brother

15 “If your brother sins against you,[a] go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.(A) 16 But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony[b] of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.[c](B) 17 If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church.[d](C) If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you.(D) 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound[e] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed[f] in heaven.(E) 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you[g] pray for, it will be done for you[h] by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 18:15 Other mss omit against you
  2. 18:16 Lit mouth
  3. 18:16 Dt 19:15
  4. 18:17 Or congregation
  5. 18:18 Or earth will be bound
  6. 18:18 Or earth will be loosed
  7. 18:19 Lit they
  8. 18:19 Lit for them