God’s Word Translation
Matthew 18:17
17If he ignores these witnesses, tell it to the community of believers. If he also ignores the community, deal with him as you would a heathen or a tax collector.
Matthew 18:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
- New International Version (NIV)If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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 heathen and a tax collector.
Context of Matthew 18:17
15“If a believer does something wrong, go, confront him when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back that believer. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses. If he ignores these witnesses, tell it to the community of believers. If he also ignores the community, deal with him as you would a heathen or a tax collector. 18I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free. 19“I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it.
Read all of Matthew 18Matthew 18:17 word by word
ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, εἰπὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- he shall neglect to hearπαρακούωparakouō · to ignoreG3878
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- let him beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- unto theeσύsu · youG4771
- asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
- an heathen manἐθνικόςethnikos · Gentile-likeG1482
- a publicanτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
Cross-references for Matthew 18:17
- Acts 6:1At that time, as the number of disciples grew, Greek-speaking Jews complained about the Hebrew-speaking Jews. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that the widows among them were neglected every day when food and other assistance was distributed.
- Acts 15:6The apostles and spiritual leaders met to consider this statement.
- 1 Corinthians 5:4When you have gathered together, I am with you in spirit. Then, in the name of our Lord Jesus, and with his power,
- 1 Corinthians 6:1When one of you has a complaint against another, how dare you go to court to settle the matter in front of wicked people. Why don’t you settle it in front of God’s holy people?
- 2 Corinthians 2:6The majority of you have imposed a severe enough punishment on that person.
- 3 John 1:9I wrote a letter to the congregation. But Diotrephes, who loves to be in charge, won’t accept us.
- Romans 16:17Brothers and sisters, I urge you to watch out for those people who create divisions and who make others fall away ⌞from the Christian faith⌟ by teaching doctrine that is not the same as you have learned. Stay away from them.
- 1 Corinthians 5:3Although I’m not physically present with you, I am with you in spirit. I have already judged the man who did this as though I were present with you.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we order you not to associate with any believer who doesn’t live a disciplined life and doesn’t follow the tradition you received from us.
- 1 Timothy 6:5and conflict between people whose corrupt minds have been robbed of the truth. They think that a godly life is a way to make a profit.
- 2 John 1:10If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring these teachings, don’t take him into your home or even greet him.
- Matthew 6:7“When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot.
- Ezra 6:21The lambs were eaten by the Israelites who had returned from exile and by all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of the non-Jews in the land to worship the Lord God of Israel.
- Ezekiel 11:12Then you will know that I am the Lord. You haven’t lived by my laws, and you haven’t obeyed my rules. You have followed the standards set by the nations around you.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:14Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness?
- Ephesians 4:17So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things.
Commentaries on Matthew 18:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 173. Tell it unto the Church - Lay the whole matter before the congregation of Christian believers, in that place of which he is a member, or before the minister and elders, as the representatives of the Church or assembly. If all this avail not, then, Let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican - To whom thou art, as a Christian, to owe earnest and persevering good will, and acts of kindness; but have no religious communion with him, till, if he…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Tell it to the church - See the notes at Matthew 16:18. The church may here mean the whole assembly of believers, or it may mean those who are authorized to try such cases - the representatives of the church, or these who act for the church. In the Jewish synagogue there was a bench of elders before whom trials of this kind were brought. It was to be brought to the church in order that he might be admonished, entreated, and, if possible, reformed. This…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. 17The church is the local Christian community. An unrepentant person (someone refusing to turn from sin) is to be treated as an outsider, like a lawbreaker. Excluding a person from fellowship (sometimes called excommunication) comes from the belief that God’s people must be holy (Acts 5:1–6; Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5:1–13; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18; Galatians 5:7–12; 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15). Sin harms fellowship with both other believers and with God. The…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 18:17
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
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