MAT 18:17 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Then if that person still refuses to listen, tell the whole assembly. If they still refuse to hear from the assembly, treat them like a non-believer or a tax-collector.[fn]

18:17 Some might read this as a command to shun the person, but perhaps it would be better read as ‘treat them as a lost person who needs to be saved’?

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But if he refuses to listen to them, speak to the church. But if he also refuses to listen to the church, let him be to you even as the Gentile and the tax collector.

UST Suppose that those fellow believers reject what the people you brought with you say. In that case, tell the whole group of believers about what happened. Finally, suppose that those fellow believers reject what the group of believers says. In that case, treat those fellow believers as if they were unbelieving non-Jews or people who collect taxes. Do not treat them as fellow believers any longer.

BLB And if he fails to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he fails to listen to even to the church, let him be to you as the pagan and the tax collector.

AICNT and 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.

OEB If they refuse to listen to them, speak to the church; and, if they also refuse to listen to the church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.

WEBBE If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.

LSV And if he may not hear them, say [it] to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to you as the heathen man and the tax collector.

FBV If, however, he refuses to listen to them, then tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church as well, then treat him as a foreigner[fn] and a tax-collector.

18:17 Literally, a “Gentile,” a non-believer.

TCNT If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

T4T If the one who has sinned against you will not listen to them or does not feel sorry that he has sinned against you, tell that to the congregation so that they can rebuke him. If that person will not listen to the congregation or feel sorry that he has sinned against you, exclude him from being a member of your congregation, just like you would exclude pagans, tax collectors, and others who do not believe in God and sin greatly.

LEB And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it[fn] to the church. But if he refuses to listen to the church also, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

18:17 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

BBE And if he will not give ear to them, let it come to the hearing of the church: and if he will not give ear to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-farmer.

Moff If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church; and if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a pagan or a taxgatherer.

Wymth If he refuses to hear them, appeal to the Church; and if he refuses to hear even the Church, regard him just as you regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.

ASV And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.

DRA And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.

YLT 'And if he may not hear them, say [it] to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.

Drby But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.

RV And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.
(And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee/you as the Gentile and the publican. )

SLT And if he refuse hearing them, speak to the church: and if he refuse hearing the church, let him be to thee as of the nations and a publican.

Wbstr And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church: but if he shall neglect to hear the church, let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican.

KJB-1769 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.
( 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/you as an heathen man and a publican. )

KJB-1611 And if hee shall neglect to heare them, tell it vnto the Church: But if he neglect to heare the Church, let him be vnto thee as an heathen man, and a Publicane.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps If he heare not them, tell it vnto the Churche: If he heare not the Churche, let hym be vnto thee as an Heathen man, and a publicane.
(If he hear not them, tell it unto the Churche: If he hear not the Church, let him be unto thee/you as an Heathen man, and a publicane.)

Gnva And if he refuse to heare them, tell it vnto the Church: and if he refuse to heare the Church also, let him be vnto thee as an heathen man, and a Publicane.
(And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the Church: and if he refuse to hear the Church also, let him be unto thee/you as an heathen man, and a Publican. )

Cvdl Yf he heare not them, tell it vnto the congregacion. Yf he heare not the cogregacion, holde him as an Heithen and Publican.
(If he hear not them, tell it unto the congregation. If he hear not the congregation, hold him as an Heathen and Publican.)

TNT If he heare not them tell it vnto the congregacion. If he heare not the congregacion take him as an hethen man and as a publican.
(If he hear not them tell it unto the congregation. If he hear not the congregation take him as an heathen man and as a publican. )

Wycl And if he herith not hem, seie thou to the chirche. But if he herith not the chirche, be he as an hethen and a pupplican to thee.
(And if he heareth/hears not hem, say thou/you to the church. But if he heareth/hears not the church, be he as an heathen and a pupplican to thee/you.)

Luth Höret er die nicht, so sage es der Gemeinde. Höret er die Gemeinde nicht, so halt ihn als einen Heiden und Zöllner.
(Hear he the not, so said it the/of_the Gemeinde. Hear he the Gemeinde not, so halt him/it as a heathens and Zöllner.)

ClVg Quod si non audierit eos: dic ecclesiæ. Si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus.[fn]
(That when/but_if not/no heard them: say assemblies/churches. When/But_if however church not/no heard, be to_you like ethnicus and publicanus. )

18.17 Dic Ecclesiæ. Ut detestationi eum habeat, etc., usque ad damnantur humanam sententiam divina sententia corroborari. Sicut Ethnicus. Detestabilior est qui sub nomine fidelis agit, etc., usque ad per furta et per perjuria.

18.17 Say Assemblies/Churches. As detestationi him have, etc., until to damnantur human opinion divine opinion corroborari. Like Ethnicus. Detestabilior it_is who/which under by_name faithful acts, etc., until to through theft and through peryuria.

UGNT ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, εἰπὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.
(ean de parakousaʸ autōn, eipe taʸ ekklaʸsia. ean de kai taʸs ekklaʸsias parakousaʸ, estō soi hōsper ho ethnikos kai ho telōnaʸs.)

SBL-GNT ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, εἰπὸν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.
(ean de parakousaʸ autōn, eipon taʸ ekklaʸsia; ean de kai taʸs ekklaʸsias parakousaʸ, estō soi hōsper ho ethnikos kai ho telōnaʸs.)

RP-GNT ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, εἰπὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.
(ean de parakousaʸ autōn, eipe taʸ ekklaʸsia; ean de kai taʸs ekklaʸsias parakousaʸ, estō soi hōsper ho ethnikos kai ho telōnaʸs.)

TC-GNT ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, [fn]εἰπὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.
(ean de parakousaʸ autōn, eipe taʸ ekklaʸsia; ean de kai taʸs ekklaʸsias parakousaʸ, estō soi hōsper ho ethnikos kai ho telōnaʸs. )

18:17 ειπε ¦ ειπον SBL WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 18:15–20: Correct a brother who sins

In this section, Jesus told his disciples what to do when a fellow believer sins against one of them. Jesus gave them some steps to follow to deal with the problem in a gentle and loving manner. The main goal of these steps is to restore the relationship between two believers.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

When a Person Sins Against You (NCV)

What to do if a fellow believer sins against you

18:17a

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

If he refuses to hear them, then report^(sing) the issue to the whole group of believers.
And if he rejects their words, then tell^(sing) what has happened to the group of people who believe in Jesus.

If he refuses to listen to them: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as refuses to listen is a stronger word than “will not listen” in 18:16a. This word can also be translated “ignore, disobey.” It indicates that he has rejected what the witnesses say.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

If he ignores these witnesses (GW)

If he rejects their words

them: This pronoun refers to the one or two witnesses that you take along with you.

tell it to the church: The Greek command that the BSB translates as tell it to the church is more literally “tell the church.” In Greek, there is no pronoun it here. Many English versions are like the BSB and add the word it to make the sentence more natural. In some languages, it will also be natural to add this word, or some similar words.

This command means that you are supposed to tell the whole story to the church. This would include giving them a report about what the brother did to you. It would also include giving them a report about what you have tried to do to resolve this issue.

Here are some other ways to translate this command:

tell the church (NCV)

tell the whole thing to the church (GNT)

report the matter to the church (CEV)

the church: Here the word church refers to the group of Christian believers who worship together in the same place. In the New Testament, the word church does not refer to a building.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the group of believers/followers

the group of people who believe in Jesus

The word church first occurs in 16:18b.

18:17b

And if he refuses to listen even to the church,

And if he refuses to hear even the whole group of believers,
If he rejects even them,

And if he refuses to listen: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as refuses to listen is the same one as in 18:17a. Translate it the same way in both places. For example:

If he ignores (GW)

If he rejects

even to the church: In this context, the Greek word that the BSB translates as even expresses something that would be surprising. The church is the final authority. We would normally expect the brother to listen and respond appropriately to the church. If he does not, it would be a surprising outcome.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

And if he even refuses to listen to the church

If he still refuses to listen

Finally, if he will not listen to the church (CEV)

18:17c

regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

then you^(sing) should act toward him as you would act toward an unbeliever or a tax collector.
then you^(sing) should consider/regard him as a person outside the group such as a person who does not believe or a person who collects taxes.

regard him as you would: This is a type of command. Jesus commanded you (singular) to think/treat the sinning brother in a certain way. This command is not to the church as a whole.

Here are some other ways to translate this command:

treat him as you would (NIV)

consider^(sing) him as

think^(sing) of him as you would

act toward him as you^(sing) would act toward

a pagan or a tax collector: Both pagan and tax collector refer to kinds of people whom the Jews thought were bad. They were both outside the Jewish religious community. The Jews did not treat these people as well as they treated their fellow Jews within their community. (See the notes below where each term is explained.)

In some languages, it may be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

an outsider such as a Gentile and a tax collector

a bad person such as a Gentile or a tax collector

Jesus was saying that a “Christian brother” who refuses to repent should no longer be considered a member of the group of believers.

a pagan: The Greek word that the BSB translates as pagan refers to a person who is not a Jew. Many other English versions translate this word as “Gentile.” The Jews considered a Gentile to be someone who did not know God.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

unbeliever (CEV)

a person who does not know God (NCV)

This word also occurs in 6:7a.

a tax collector: The term tax collector refers to a Jew who collected taxes from his fellow Jews. Jews hated tax collectors. They considered them to be traitors, thieves, and religiously contaminated (“unclean”).

Here are some other ways to translate this term:

a person who collects taxes

a person who gathers money from other people for the government

See the note at 5:46b for more information on the term tax collector.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν εἰπέ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐάν Δέ καί τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ ἔστω σοί ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικός καί ὁ τελώνης)

Here, the word But introduces the next thing that could happen. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces the next event, or you could leave But untranslated. Alternate translation: [Then,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

παρακούσῃ & καὶ & παρακούσῃ & ἔστω

˱he˲_˓may˒_refuse_to_hear & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν εἰπέ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐάν Δέ καί τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ ἔστω σοί ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικός καί ὁ τελώνης)

Although the terms he, he, and him are masculine, Jesus is using the words in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use phrases that make this clear. Alternate translation: [he or she refuses to listen to … he or she also refuses to listen to … let him or her be]

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτῶν

˱from˲_them

The pronoun them refers to the “one or two others” whom the person who was sinned against took along to meet the person who committed the sin (see [18:16](../18/16.md)). If this is not clear for your readers, you could refer to these people more directly. Alternate translation: [the one or two others whom you took with you]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἰπὲ

Here Jesus implies that the person should speak about how he or she was sinned against and how he or she has tried to speak to the other person about it. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [speak about it] or [speak about the sin and what has happened since]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd

σοι

Even though Jesus is speaking to many disciples, he is addressing an individual situation, so you is singular throughout this verse. But if the singular form would not be natural in your language for someone who was speaking to a group of people, you could use the plural form of you in your translation. If you do so, you may also need to make some other words plural.

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

(Occurrence 2) δὲ

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης

˱him˲_let_be (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν εἰπέ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐάν Δέ καί τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ ἔστω σοί ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικός καί ὁ τελώνης)

Jesus is saying that the person who sinned and refused to listen should be treated like the Gentile and the tax collector, because they are all people who are not treated like members of God’s people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [let him be to you even as the Gentile and the tax collector who are not fellow believers] or [let him be to you as a non-believer, like a Gentile or tax collector]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

ἔστω

˱him˲_let_be

If your language does not use the third-person imperative in this way, you could state this in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [he should be]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης

the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν εἰπέ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐάν Δέ καί τῆς ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ ἔστω σοί ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικός καί ὁ τελώνης)

The words Gentile and tax collector represent Gentiles and tax collectors in general, not one particular Gentile and one particular tax collector. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the Gentiles and the tax collectors] or [any Gentile or any tax collector]

Parallel MAT 18:17

Section 18:15–20: Correct a brother who sins

18:17a

18:17b

18:17c