Matthew 18:16

Matthew 18:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
• New International Version (NIV)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.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’

Context of Matthew 18:16

14God, your Father in heaven, is like that shepherd. He does not want any of these little people to be lost, not even one of them.’ 15Jesus said, ‘If your Christian friend has done something wrong against you, you must go and speak to him. When you are alone with him, tell him what he has done that is wrong. He may agree with what you say. If he does, then you can call him your friend again. But maybe he does not want to listen to you. Then take one or two other people with you to speak to him. They will then know what wrong things your friend has done. Remember what the Bible says: “There must be two or three people to say certainly that another person has done something wrong. Two or three people must agree what has happened.” 17If your friend still will not agree that he has done something wrong, then go and tell the church leaders. If he does not agree with the leaders, stop being his friend. He is like somebody who refuses to obey God. 18I tell you this: You will tell people here on earth what is right for them to do. And you will tell them what is not right for them to do. God in heaven will give you this authority. He will agree with what you say.

Matthew 18:16 word by word

ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀκούσῃ, παράλαβε μετὰ σοῦ ἔτι ἕνα ἢ δύο ἵνα ἐπὶ στόματος δύο μαρτύρων ἢ τριῶν σταθῇ πᾶν ῥῆμα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• he willἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• notμήmē · notG3361
• takeπαραλαμβάνωparalambanō · to takeG3880
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• orἤē · orG2228
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• moreἔτιeti · stillG2089
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• ofμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
• threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• wordῥῆμαrhēma · declarationG4487
• may be establishedἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476

Cross-references for Matthew 18:16

• Numbers 35:30Before you kill a murderer, people must agree that they saw him kill someone. But if only one person saw what happened, that is not enough for you to kill him.
• Deuteronomy 17:6But two or three people must agree about what the person has done. You must never kill anyone because of the words of only one person.
• Deuteronomy 19:15If only one person says that he has seen someone do something wrong, that is not enough. There must be at least two or three people who saw the sin. Then the judge may say that the person is guilty.
• 1 Kings 21:13Then two wicked men came and they sat near to him. They accused Naboth so that the people could all hear them. They said, ‘Naboth has insulted God and the king.’ So the people took him outside the city. They threw stones at him until he was dead.
• John 8:17Your own Law says, “There must be two people to agree that something is true.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time that I will be coming to visit you. Remember this: ‘There must be two or three people to say certainly that another person has done something wrong. Two or three people must agree what has happened.’
• 1 Timothy 5:19Somebody may tell you that a leader of the believers has done something wrong. But do not accept that as true, unless two or three people say the same thing.
• Hebrews 10:28In the old agreement, anyone who refused to obey Moses' rules had to die. If two or three people said that he had done a bad thing, that person had to die. They would not forgive him.
• 1 John 5:7So there are three things that show us clearly that Jesus came from God.
• Revelation 11:3I will give authority to my two servants who speak my message clearly. They will tell people my messages for 1,260 days. They will wear rough clothes made from goats' hair.’

Commentaries on Matthew 18:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 162. Take with thee one or two more - Men whom he esteems, who may then confirm and enforce what thou sayest; and afterwards, if need require, bear witness of what was spoken. If even this do not succeed, then, and not before,Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16But if he will not hear thee … - That is, if he spurns or abuses you, or will not be entreated by you, and will not reform. Take with thee one or two more - The design of taking them seems to be, 1.That he might be induced to listen to them, Matthew 18:17. They should be persons of influence or authority; his personal friends, or those in whom he could put confidence. 2.That they might be witnesses of his conduct before the church, Matthew 18:17. The law…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 If a professed Christian is wronged by another, he ought not to complain of it to others, as is often done merely upon report, but to go to the offender privately, state the matter kindly, and show him his conduct. This would generally have all the desired effect with a true Christian, and the parties would be reconciled. The principles of these rules may be practised every where, and under all circumstances, though they are too much…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16By requiring one or two others to be present, Jesus stopped slander and false accusations among the congregation (see John 8:17; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 18:16

• Church
• Commandments
• Court
• Evidence
• Fraternity
• Jesus, the Christ
• Reproof
• Strife
• Trespass
• Witness

In the dictionaries

• Gain
• Martyr
• Owe
• Patience
• Excommunication
• Forgiveness
• Intercession
• Jesus Christ
• Judge
• Matthew, the Gospel of

Commentaries on Matthew 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings