New Living Translation
Matthew 18:17
17If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt 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 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. 16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. 18“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. 19“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.
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 6:1But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
- Acts 15:6So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.
- 1 Corinthians 5:4in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 6:1When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers!
- 2 Corinthians 2:6Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough.
- 3 John 1:9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us.
- Romans 16:17And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
- 1 Corinthians 5:3Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.
- 1 Timothy 6:5These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.
- 2 John 1:10If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.
- Matthew 6:7“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
- Ezra 6:21The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Ezekiel 11:12and you will know that I am the Lord. For you have refused to obey my decrees and regulations; instead, you have copied the standards of the nations around you.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
- Ephesians 4:17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
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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