Matthew 18 · Verse 12

Matthew 18:12

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
Matthew 18:12, King James Version

Matthew 18:12 in other translations

BSBWhat do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?
WEB“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
ASVHow think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?
YLT‘What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not--having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains--seek that which is gone astray?
DARBYWhat think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?
BBEWhat would you say now? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away, will he not let the ninety-nine be, and go to the mountains in search of the wandering one?
WebsterHow think ye? if a man hath a hundred sheep, and one of them is gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray?

What does Matthew 18:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 18:12-13
12-13. How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, &c.--This is another of those pregnant sayings which our Lord uttered more than once. See on the delightful parable of the lost sheep in Lu 15:4-7. Only the object there is to show what the good Shepherd will do, when even one of His sheep is lost, to find it; here the object is to show, when found, how reluctant He is to lose it. Accordingly, it is added,

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verses 12-14. To show still farther the reason why we should not despise them, he introduced a parable showing the joy felt when a thing lost is found. Man rejoices over the recovery of one of his flock that had wandered, more than over all that remained. So God rejoices that man is restored, seeks his salvation, and wills that not one thus found should perish. If God thus loves and preserves the redeemed, then surely man should not despise them, See this passage farther explained in Lk 15:4-10.

(i) "if a man" Lk 15:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains - So our common translation reads the verse; others, Doth he not leave the ninety and nine Upon The Mountains, and go, etc. This latter reading appears to me to be the best; because, in Luk 15:4, it is said, he leaveth the ninety and nine In The Desert. The allusion, therefore, is to a shepherd feeding his sheep on the mountains, in the desert; not seeking the lost one On the mountains. Leaving the ninety and nine, and seeking the One strayed sheep: - This was a very common form of speech among the Jews, and includes no mystery, though there are some who imagine that our Lord refers to the angels who kept not their first estate, and that they are in number, to men, as Ninety are to One. But it is likely that our Lord in this place only alludes to his constant solicitude to instruct, heal, and save those simple people of the sea coasts, country villages, etc., who were scattered abroad, as sheep without a shepherd, (Mat 9:36), the scribes and Pharisees paying no attention to their present or eternal well-being. This may be also considered as a lesson of instruction and comfort to backsliders. How hardly does Christ give them up!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 18:7-14

Considering the cunning and malice of Satan, and the weakness and depravity of men's hearts, it is not possible but that there should be offences. God permits them for wise and holy ends, that those who are sincere, and those who are not, may be made known. Being told before, that there will be seducers, tempters, persecutors, and bad examples, let us stand on our guard. We must, as far as lawfully we may, part with…

Read the full comment on Matthew 18:7-14 →

Matthew 18:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤίTiWhatG5101
ὑμῖνhuminyouG4771
δοκεῖ;dokeido think?G1380
ἐὰνeanIfG1437
γένηταίgenētaimay happenG1096
τινιtinia certainG5100
ἀνθρώπῳanthrōpōman [has]G444
ἑκατὸνhekatona hundredG1540
πρόβαταprobatasheepG4263
καὶkaiandG2532
πλανηθῇplanēthēashall have gone astrayG4105
ἓνhenoneG1520
ἐξexofG1537
αὐτῶν,autōnthem,G846
οὐχὶouchisurelyG3780
ἀφήσειaphēseihe will leaveG863
τὰtatheG3588
ἐνενήκονταenenēkontaninetyG1768
ἐννέαenneanineG1767
ἐπὶepionG1909
τὰtatheG3588
ὄρη,orēmountains,G3735
πορευθεὶςporeutheishaving goneG4198
ζητεῖzēteiwill seekG2212
τὸtothe [one]G3588
πλανώμενον;planōmenongoing astray?G4105

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 18:12

  • Ezekiel 34:12

    As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

  • Luke 15:4-7

    What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

  • Ezekiel 34:16

    I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

  • Isaiah 53:6

    All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

  • Ezekiel 34:28

    And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.

  • Ezekiel 34:6

    My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

  • 1 Peter 2:25

    For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

  • Psalms 119:176

    I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

  • Matthew 12:11

    And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

  • John 10:11-21

    I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. …

  • Jeremiah 50:6

    My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

  • Matthew 21:28

    But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
How.
21:28; 22:42; 1Co 10:15
if.
12:11; Ps 119:176; Isa 53:6; Jer 50:6; Eze 34:16,28; Lu 15:4-7
Joh 10:11-21; 1Pe 2:25
into.
1Ki 21:17; Eze 34:6,12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 18:11

    For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

  • Matthew 18:12

    How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

  • Matthew 18:13

    And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Read all of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Qué os parece? Si tuviese algún hombre cien ovejas, y se descarriase una de ellas, ¿no iría por los montes, dejadas las noventa y nueve, á buscar la que se había descarriado?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que vous en semble? Si un homme a 100 brebis, et que l’une d’elles se soit égarée, ne laisse-t-il pas les 99 sur les montagnes, pour s’en aller chercher celle qui s’est égarée?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Was dünkt euch? Wenn irgend ein Mensch hundert Schafe hätte, und eines von ihnen sich verirrte, läßt er nicht die neunundneunzig auf den Bergen und geht hin und sucht das irrende?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quid vobis videtur? si fuerint alicui centum oves, et erravit una ex eis: nonne relinquit nonaginta novem in montibus, et vadit quærere eam quæ erravit?