God’s Word Translation
Matthew 18:12
12“What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed?
Matthew 18:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
- New International Version (NIV)“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
- English Standard Version (ESV)What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
Context of Matthew 18:12
10“Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven. “What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed? 13I can guarantee this truth: If he finds it, he is happier about it than about the 99 that have not strayed. 14In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want one of these little ones to be lost.
Read all of Matthew 18Matthew 18:12 word by word
Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐχὶ ἀφήσει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη, καὶ πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Howτίςtis · which?G5101
- thinkδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- aτιςtis · oneG5100
- manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- haveγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- an hundredἑκατόνhekaton · hundredG1540
- sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- be gone astrayπλανάωplanaō · to lead astrayG4105
- doth heἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
- notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
- leaveἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
- the ninety and nineἐνενήκονταennenēkontaennea · ninetyG1768
- and goethπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- intoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the mountainsὄροςoros · mountainG3735
- and seekethζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
Cross-references for Matthew 18:12
- Matthew 21:28“What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go to work in the vineyard today.’
- Matthew 22:42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They answered him, “David’s.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:15I’m talking to intelligent people. Judge for yourselves what I’m saying.
- Matthew 12:11Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a sheep. If it falls into a pit on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you take hold of it and lift it out?
- Psalms 119:176I have wandered away like a lost lamb. Search for me, because I have never forgotten your commandments.
- Isaiah 53:6We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the Lord has laid all our sins on him.
- Jeremiah 50:6My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray. They wander around on the mountains. They go from mountains to hills. They have forgotten their resting place.
- Ezekiel 34:16I will look for those that are lost, bring back those that have strayed away, bandage those that are injured, and strengthen those that are sick. I will destroy those that are fat and strong. I will take care of my sheep fairly.
- Luke 15:4“Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it?
- John 10:11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
- 1 Peter 2:25You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishop of your lives.
- 1 Kings 21:17Then the Lord spoke his word to Elijah from Tishbe:
- Ezekiel 34:6My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth. No one searched or looked for them.
Commentaries on Matthew 18:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains - So our common translation reads the verse; others, Doth he not leave the ninety and nine Upon The Mountains, and go, etc. This latter reading appears to me to be the best; because, in Luke 15:4, it is said, he leaveth the ninety and nine In The Desert. The allusion, therefore, is to a shepherd feeding his sheep on the mountains, in the desert; not seeking the lost one On the mountains…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 To show still further the reason why we should not despise Christians, he introduced a parable showing the joy felt when a thing lost is found. A shepherd rejoices over the recovery of one of his flock that had wandered more than over all that remained; so God rejoices that man is restored: so he seeks his salvation, and wills that not one thus found should perish. If God thus loves and preserves the redeemed, then surely man should not…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-14Verses 7-14 Considering the cunning and malice of Satan, and the weakness and depravity of men's hearts, it is not possible but that there should be offences. God permits them for wise and holy ends, that those who are sincere, and those who are not, may be made known. Being told before, that there will be seducers, tempters, persecutors, and bad examples, let us stand on our guard. We must, as far as lawfully we may, part with what we cannot keep without…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Just as a shepherd works to find a lost sheep, we must not despise or ignore the “little ones” (Matthew 18:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1312-13. How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, &c.--This is another of those pregnant sayings which our Lord uttered more than once. See on the delightful parable of the lost sheep in Lu 15:4-7. Only the object there is to show what the good Shepherd will do, when even one of His sheep is lost, to find it; here the object is to show, when found, how reluctant He is to lose it. Accordingly, it is added,Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 18:12
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries