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11 [a][For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

Ninety-nine Plus One

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?(A) 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones be lost.

Discipline and Prayer

15 “If your brother sins[b], go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the [c]church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector.(B) 18 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth [d]shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth [e]shall have [already] been loosed in heaven.(C)

19 “Again I say to you, that if two [f]believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.(D) 20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:11 Early mss do not contain this verse.
  2. Matthew 18:15 Late mss add against you.
  3. Matthew 18:17 Gr ecclasia, the word means a gathering and may be translated congregation, assembly, or church.
  4. Matthew 18:18 Gr estai lelumenon, future perfect passive.
  5. Matthew 18:18 Gr estai lelumenon, future perfect passive.
  6. Matthew 18:19 Lit of you.

[11] [a]

12 “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? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault,(A) just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 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.’[d](B) 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(C) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(D)

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.(E)

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them(F) by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.
  2. Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
  3. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
  4. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
  5. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  6. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been