IF YOUR BROTHER SINS AGAINST YOU

Passage: Matthew 18:15-20

Key verse: 19

NIV

Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] 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.’[c](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[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] 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 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
  2. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
  3. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
  4. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  5. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

If Your Brother Sins Against You

15 (A)“If your brother sins against you, (B)go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have (C)gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established (D)by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, (E)tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, (F)let him be to you as (G)a Gentile and (H)a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, (I)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[a] in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you (J)agree on earth about anything they ask, (K)it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are (L)gathered in my name, (M)there am I among them.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 18:18 Or shall have been bound… shall have been loosed
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Go to him (15-17)

This is not easy. We are naturally inclined to complain to others about one who has wronged us. But Jesus says, 'Go and show him his fault just between the two of you.' If he doesn't repent, then take one or two others and try again. Finally, if he refuses to listen even to God's servants, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector. This means that he becomes one to whom the gospel must be preached.

2. Unite in prayer (18-20)

Jesus wants his people to be one in him. This is why we can't ignore the small or large sins that divide the fellowship. When we unite in prayer, he hears us. When even two or three come together in Jesus' name, Jesus is there. We can agree on a prayer topic if it is Jesus' prayer topic. We can be one if Jesus is living in each of us. There is no unity apart from Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, give me courage to solve problems your way. Help us to be one in Jesus and help us to unite in prayer.

One Word: Two or three gathered in Jesus' name