New King James Version
Matthew 18:15
15“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Matthew 18:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
- New International Version (NIV)“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.
Context of Matthew 18:15
13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But 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.’ 17And 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.
Read all of Matthew 18Matthew 18:15 word by word
Ἐὰν δὲ ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς σὲ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ὕπαγε ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου. ἐάν σου ἀκούσῃ, ἐκέρδησας τὸν ἀδελφόν σου.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Moreoverδέde · thenG1161
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- brotherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- shall trespassἁμαρτάνωhamartanō · to sinG264
- againstεἰςeis · towardG1519
- goὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- tellἐλέγχωelegchō · to rebukeG1651
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- betweenμεταξύmetaxu · between/meanwhileG3342
- aloneμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
- he shall hearἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- thou hast gainedκερδαίνωkerdainō · to gainG2770
Cross-references for Matthew 18:15
- Matthew 18:35“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
- Leviticus 6:2“If a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor,
- Luke 17:3Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
- 1 Corinthians 6:6But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
- 1 Corinthians 8:12But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 7:12Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
- Colossians 3:13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
- Leviticus 19:17‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
- Psalms 141:5Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
- Proverbs 25:9Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another;
- Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.
- Romans 12:21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
- James 5:19Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
- 1 Peter 3:1Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,
Commentaries on Matthew 18:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15If thy brother - Any who is a member of the same religious society, sin against thee, 1. Go and reprove him alone, - it may be in person; if that cannot be so well done, by thy messenger, or in writing, (which in many cases is likely to be the most effectual). Observe, our Lord gives no liberty to omit this, or to exchange it for either of the following steps. If this do not succeed,Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Moreover, if thy brother - The word “brother,” here, evidently means a fellow-professor of religion. Christians are called brethren because they belong to the same redeemed family, having a common Father - God; and because they axe united in the same feelings, objects, and destiny. Trespass against thee - That is, injure thee in any way, by words or conduct. The original word means sin against thee. This may be done by injuring the character, person, or…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. 15If another believer sins, love means we should talk to them privately and point out the wrong (Leviticus 19:17; Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1; 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 3:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother, &c.--Probably our Lord had reference still to the late dispute, Who should be the greatest? After the rebuke--so gentle and captivating, yet so dignified and divine--under which they would doubtless be smarting, perhaps each would be saying, It was not I that began it, it was not I that threw…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 18:15
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries