¹⁵“If another believer^* sins against you,^* go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. ¹⁶But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. ¹⁷If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

¹⁸“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid^* on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit^* on earth will be permitted in heaven.

¹⁹“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. ²⁰For where two or three gather together as my followers,^* I am there among them.”

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

²¹Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

²²“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

Read in Logos

Footnotes

*18:15a Greek If your brother.
*18:15b Some manuscripts do not include against you.
*18:18a Or bind, or lock.
*18:18b Or loose, or open.
*18:20 Greek gather together in my name.