Matthew 18 · Verse 17

Matthew 18:17

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.
Matthew 18:17, King James Version

Matthew 18:17 in other translations

BSBIf he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
WEBIf 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.
ASVAnd 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.
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.
DARBYBut 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Matthew 18:17 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 17. Tell it unto the Church. Mt 16:18. The church may here mean the whole assembly of believers; or it may mean those who are authorized to try such cases--the representatives of the church, or those who act for them. In the Jewish synagogue there was a bench of elders, before whom trials of this kind were brought. It was to be brought to the church, in order that he might be admonished, entreated, and, if possible, reformed. This was, and is always to be, the first business in disciplining an offending brother.

If he neglect to hear the Church, let him be, etc. The Jews gave the name heathen or Gentile to all other nations but themselves. With them they had no religious intercourse or communion.

Publican. Mt 5:47. Publicans were men of abandoned character, and the Jews would have no intercourse with them. The meaning of this is, cease to have religious intercourse with him, to acknowledge him as a brother. Regard him as obstinate, self-willed, and guilty. It does not mean that we should cease to show kindness to him, and aid him in affliction or trial; for this is required towards all men; but it means that we should disown him as a Christian brother, and treat him as we do other men not connected with the church. This should not be done till all these steps are taken. This is the only way of kindness. This is the only way to preserve peace and purity in the church.

(o) "let him be unto" Rom 16:17, 1Cor 5:3-5, 2Thes 3:6,14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 3. Tell it unto the Church - Lay the whole matter before the congregation of Christian believers, in that place of which he is a member, or before the minister and elders, as the representatives of the Church or assembly. If all this avail not, then, Let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican - To whom thou art, as a Christian, to owe earnest and persevering good will, and acts of kindness; but have no religious communion with him, till, if he have been convicted, he acknowledge his fault. Whosoever follows this threefold rule will seldom offend others, and never be offended himself. - Rev. J. Wesley. Reproving a brother who had sinned was a positive command under the law. See Lev 19:17. And the Jews have a saying, that one of the causes of the ruin of their nation was, "No man reproved another." On the word Church, see Clarke at Mat 16:28 (note).

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…

Read the full comment on Matthew 18:15-20 →

Matthew 18:17 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
παρακούσῃparakousēhe shall fail to listenG3878
αὐτῶν,autōnto them,G846
εἰπὲeipedo tell [it]G2036
τῇtēato theG3588
ἐκκλησίᾳ.ekklēsiachurch.G1577
ἐὰνeanIfG1437
δὲdenowG1161
καὶkaialsoG2532
τῆςtēsto theG3588
ἐκκλησίαςekklēsiaschurchG1577
παρακούσῃ,parakousēhe shall fail to listen,G3878
ἔστωestōhe should beG1510
σοιsoito youG4771
ὥσπερhōsperasG5618
ὁhotheG3588
ἐθνικὸςethnikospaganG1482
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhotheG3588
τελώνης.¶telōnēstax collector.G5057

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

Cross references for Matthew 18:17

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:6

    Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:7

    I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? …

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15

    And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:3-5

    For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

  • 2 John 1:10-11

    If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

  • Ephesians 5:11-12

    And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

  • Ephesians 4:17-19

    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

  • Romans 16:17-18

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

  • 3 John 1:9-10

    I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

  • Ezekiel 11:12

    And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:6-7

    Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:14-17

    Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
tell.
Ac 6:1-3; 15:6,7; 1Co 5:4,5; 6:1-4; 2Co 2:6,7; 3Jo 1:9,10
let.
Ro 16:17,18; 1Co 5:3-5,9-13; 2Th 3:6,14,15; 1Ti 6:5; 2Jo 1:10,11
an heathen.
6:7; Ezr 6:21; Eze 11:12; 2Co 6:14-17; Eph 4:17-19; 5:11,12
a publican.
5:46; 11:19; 21:31,32; Lu 15:1; 18:11; 19:2,3

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Matthew 18:17

    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.

  • Matthew 18:18

    Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Read all of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y si no oyere á ellos, dilo á la iglesia: y si no oyere á la iglesia, tenle por étnico y publicano.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et s’il ne veut pas les écouter, dis-le à l’assemblée; et s’il ne veut pas écouter l’assemblée non plus, qu’il te soit comme un homme des nations et comme un publicain.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn er aber nicht auf sie hören wird, so sage es der Versammlung; wenn er aber auch auf die Versammlung nicht hören wird, so sei er dir wie der Heide und der Zöllner.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quod si non audierit eos: dic ecclesiæ. Si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus.