Matthew 18 · Verse 15

Matthew 18:15

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Matthew 18:15, King James Version

Matthew 18:15 in other translations

BSB	If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
WEB	“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
ASV	And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
YLT	‘And if thy brother may sin against thee, go and show him his fault between thee and him alone, if he may hear thee, thou didst gain thy brother;
DARBY	But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
BBE	And if your brother does wrong to you, go, make clear to him his error between you and him in private: if he gives ear to you, you have got your brother back again.
Webster	Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

What does Matthew 18:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

15. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother, &c.--Probably our Lord had reference still to the late dispute, Who should be the greatest? After the rebuke--so gentle and captivating, yet so dignified and divine--under which they would doubtless be smarting, perhaps each would be saying, It was not I that began it, it was not I that threw out unworthy and irritating insinuations against my brethren. Be it so, says our Lord; but as such things will often arise, I will direct you how to proceed. First, Neither harbor a grudge against your offending brother, nor break forth upon him in presence of the unbelieving; but take him aside, show him his fault, and if he own and make reparation for it, you have done more service to him than even justice to yourself. Next, If this fail, take two or three to witness how just your complaint is, and how brotherly your spirit in dealing with him. Again, If this fail, bring him before the Church or congregation to which both belong. Lastly, If even this fail, regard him as no longer a brother Christian, but as one "without"--as the Jews did Gentiles and publicans.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verses 15-20. Moreover if thy brother. The word brother, here, evidently means a fellow-professor of religion. Christians are called brethren because they belong to the same redeemed family--having a common Father, God, and because they are united in the same feelings, objects, and destiny.

Trespass against thee. That is, injure thee in any way, by words or conduct. The original word means, sin against thee. This may be done by injuring the character, person, or property.

Go and tell him his fault. This was required under the law, Lev 19:17. In the original it is, "go and reprove him." Seek an explanation of his conduct; and if he has done wrong, administer a friendly and brotherly reproof. This is required to be done alone:

(1.) That he may have an opportunity of explaining it. In nine cases out of ten, where one supposes he has been injured, a little friendly conversation would set the matter right, and prevent difficulty.

(2.) That he may have opportunity of acknowledging his offence, or making reparation, if he has done wrong. Many would be glad of such an opportunity, and it is our duty to furnish it by calling on them.

(3.) That we may admonish them of their error, if they have done an injury to the cause of religion. This should not be blazoned abroad. It can do no good. It does injury. It is what the enemies of religion wish. Christ is often wounded in the house of his friends; and religion, as well as an injured brother, often suffers by spreading such faults before the world.

Thou hast gained thy brother. To gain means, sometimes, to preserve, or to save, 1Cor 9:19. Here it means, thou hast preserved him, or restored him, to be a consistent Christian. Perhaps it may include the idea also, thou hast reconciled him--thou hast gained him as a Christian brother.

(l) "if thy brother" Lev 19:17, Lk 17:3 (m) "if he shall hear thee" Jas 5:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 15 If thy brother - Any who is a member of the same religious society, sin against thee, 1. Go and reprove him alone, - it may be in person; if that cannot be so well done, by thy messenger, or in writing, (which in many cases is likely to be the most effectual). Observe, our Lord gives no liberty to omit this, or to exchange it for either of the following steps. If this do not succeed,

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 18:15-20

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 neglected by all. But how few try the method which Christ has expressly enjoined to all his disciples! In all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer; we cannot too highly prize the promises of God. Wherever and whenever we meet in the name of Christ, we should consider him as present in the midst of us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 18:15 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.

ἘὰνEanIfG1437

δὲdenowG1161

ἁμαρτήσῃhamartēsēshall sinG264

εἰςeisagainstG1519

σὲseyouG4771

ὁhotheG3588

ἀδελφόςadelphosbrotherG80

σου,souof you,G4771

ὕπαγεhupagedo goG5217

ἔλεγξονelegxondo reproveG1651

αὐτὸνautonhimG846

μεταξὺmetaxubetweenG3342

σοῦsouyouG4771

καὶkaiandG2532

αὐτοῦautouhimG846

μόνου.monoualone.G3441

ἐάνeanIfG1437

σουsouyouG4771

ἀκούσῃ,akousēhe shall hear,G191

ἐκέρδησαςekerdēsasyou have gainedG2770

τὸνtontheG3588

ἀδελφόνadelphonbrotherG80

σου.souof you.G4771

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

Cross references for Matthew 18:15

Leviticus 19:17
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Luke 17:3-4
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
2 Thessalonians 3:15
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
James 5:19-20
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Proverbs 25:9-10
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
Romans 12:21
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 18:35
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Psalms 141:5
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
1 Corinthians 8:12
But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:6-8
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

if.
35; Le 6:2-7; Lu 17:3,4; 1Co 6:6-8; 8:12; 2Co 7:12; Col 3:13
1Th 4:6
go.
Le 19:17; Ps 141:5; Pr 25:9,10
thou hast.
Pr 11:30; Ro 12:21; 1Co 9:19-21; Jas 5:19,20; 1Pe 3:1

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

Context

Matthew 18:14
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 18:15
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Matthew 18:16
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Read all of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:15 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Por tanto, si tu hermano pecare contra ti, ve, y redargúyele entre ti y él solo: si te oyere, has ganado á tu hermano.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et si ton frère pèche contre toi, va, reprends-le, entre toi et lui seul; s’il t’écoute, tu as gagné ton frère;
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn aber dein Bruder wider dich sündigt, so gehe hin, überführe ihn zwischen dir und ihm allein. Wenn er auf dich hört, so hast du deinen Bruder gewonnen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Si autem peccaverit in te frater tuus, vade, et corripe eum inter te, et ipsum solum: si te audierit, lucratus eris fratrem tuum.