Focused Passage

Matthew 18:15-20

Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community

Matthew moves from the disciples’ question about greatness, to Jesus’ child-centered call to humility, to warnings against causing little ones to stumble, to radical action against sin, to the Father’s care for the little ones, to the pursuit of wandering sheep, to procedures for confronting sin and involving the church, to binding and loosing with Christ’s presence, and finally to the necessity of unlimited forgiveness rooted in the King’s mercy.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15 If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.

20 For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction If Ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφός G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular sins ἁμαρτήσῃ G264 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular against εἰς G1519 Preposition you σὲ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular go ὕπαγε G5217 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular [and] confront ἔλεγξον G1651 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular privately μόνου G3441 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular . . . μεταξὺ G3342 Preposition . . . σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular If ἐάν G1437 Conjunction he listens to ἀκούσῃ G191 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular you σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular you have won ἐκέρδησας G2770 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular brother {over} ἀδελφόν G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • NE and WH do not include against you.
Verse 16

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction - μὴ G3361 Adverb he will not listen ἀκούσῃ G191 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular take παράλαβε G3880 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular one ἕνα G1520 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular or G2228 Conjunction two δύο G1417 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural others ἔτι G2089 Adverb along μετὰ G3326 Preposition . . . σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction every πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular matter ῥῆμα G4487 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular may be established σταθῇ G2476 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular by Ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition [the] testimony στόματος G4750 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular of two δύο G1417 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural or G2228 Conjunction three τριῶν G5140 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural witnesses μαρτύρων G3144 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural

BSB notes

  • Deuteronomy 19:15
Verse 17

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction If ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction he refuses to listen παρακούσῃ G3878 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular to them αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural tell [it] εἰπὸν G2036 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular to the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησίᾳ G1577 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular And δὲ G1161 Conjunction if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction he refuses to listen παρακούσῃ G3878 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular even καὶ G2532 Conjunction to the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησίας G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular regard [him] ἔστω G1510 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular as ὥσπερ G5618 Adverb you [would] σοι G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular a G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular pagan ἐθνικὸς G1482 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular [or] καὶ G2532 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular a tax collector τελώνης G5057 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

Truly Ἀμὴν G281 Hebrew Word I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural whatever ὅσα G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural . . . ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction you bind δήσητε G1210 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular will be ἔσται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular bound δεδεμένα G1210 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition heaven οὐρανῷ G3772 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction whatever ὅσα G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural . . . ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction you loose λύσητε G3089 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular will be ἔσται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular loosed λελυμένα G3089 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition heaven οὐρανῷ G3772 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 19

Original words

Again Πάλιν G3825 Adverb I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural truly ἀμὴν G281 Hebrew Word that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction two δύο G1417 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural of ἐξ G1537 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular agree συμφωνήσωσιν G4856 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural about περὶ G4012 Preposition anything παντὸς G3956 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular . . . πράγματος G4229 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular - οὗ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular vvv ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction [you] ask for αἰτήσωνται G154 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural it will be done γενήσεται G1096 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular for [you] αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural by παρὰ G3844 Preposition My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Father Πατρός G3962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition heaven οὐρανοῖς G3772 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 20

Original words

For γάρ G1063 Conjunction where οὗ G3757 Adverb two δύο G1417 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural or G2228 Conjunction three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv εἰσιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural gather together συνηγμένοι G4863 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural in εἰς G1519 Preposition My ἐμὸν G1699 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 1st Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular name ὄνομα G3686 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular there ἐκεῖ G1563 Adverb am I εἰμι G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular with them ἐν G1722 Preposition . . . αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural . . . μέσῳ G3319 Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.