Matthew 18:15-20
Tree of Life Version
Restoring a Lost Brother
15 “Now if your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault while you’re with him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take with you one or two more, so that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.’ [a] 17 But if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to Messiah’s community. And if he refuses to listen even to Messiah’s community, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.
18 “Amen, I tell you, whatever you forbid on earth will have been forbidden in heaven and what you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.”
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Matthew 18:15-20
English Standard Version
If Your Brother Sins Against You
15 (A)“If your brother sins against you, (B)go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have (C)gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established (D)by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, (E)tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, (F)let him be to you as (G)a Gentile and (H)a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, (I)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[a] in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you (J)agree on earth about anything they ask, (K)it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are (L)gathered in my name, (M)there am I among them.”
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- Matthew 18:18 Or shall have been bound… shall have been loosed
Matthew 18:15-20
The Message
15-17 “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love.
18-20 “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”
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Luke 10:17-37
Tree of Life Version
Returning with a Good Report
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Master, even the demons submit to us in Your name!”
18 And Yeshua said to them, “I was watching satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in the heavens.”[a]
21 In that very hour, He was overjoyed in the Ruach ha-Kodesh and said, “I praise You, Father, Master of the universe, that You have hidden these things from the wise and discerning and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was pleasing to You. 22 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
23 Then turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you are seeing yet did not see, and to hear what you are hearing yet did not hear.”
Who Is My Neighbor?
25 Now a certain Torah lawyer stood up to entrap Yeshua, saying, “Teacher, what should I do to gain eternal life?”
26 Then Yeshua said to him, “What has been written in the Torah? How do you read it?”
27 And he replied, “You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”[b]
28 Yeshua said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he said to Yeshua, “Then who is my neighbor?”
30 Yeshua replied, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was attacked by robbers, who stripped him and beat him. Then they left, abandoning him as half dead. 31 And by chance, a kohen was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he passed by on the opposite side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the opposite side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him; and when he noticed the man, he felt compassion. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then setting him on his own animal, he brought him to a lodge for travelers and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him. And whatever else you spend, upon my return I will repay you myself.’ 36 Which of these three seems to you a neighbor to the one attacked by robbers?”
37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy to him.”
Then Yeshua said to him, “Go, and you do the same.”
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- Luke 10:20 cf. Exod. 32:32; Dan. 12:1.
- Luke 10:27 cf. Deut. 6:5(6:5 LXX), v’ahavta et Adonai; Lev. 19:18b, v’ahavta l’reiacha.
- Luke 10:35 1 denarius = 1 day’s wages
Luke 10:17-37
English Standard Version
The Return of the Seventy-Two
17 (A)The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, (B)even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, (C)“I saw Satan (D)fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority (E)to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of (F)the enemy, and (G)nothing shall hurt you. 20 (H)Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that (I)your names are written in heaven.”
Jesus Rejoices in the Father's Will
21 (J)In that same hour (K)he rejoiced (L)in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, (M)Lord of heaven and earth, that (N)you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and (O)revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for (P)such was your gracious will.[a] 22 (Q)All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is (R)except the Father, or who the Father is (S)except the Son and anyone (T)to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, (U)“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you (V)that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 (W)And behold, a (X)lawyer stood up to (Y)put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to (Z)inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, (AA)“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and (AB)your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; (AC)do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, (AD)desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man (AE)was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a (AF)priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise (AG)a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a (AH)Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and (AI)bound up his wounds, pouring on (AJ)oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two (AK)denarii[b] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
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- Luke 10:21 Or for so it pleased you well
- Luke 10:35 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
Luke 10:17-37
The Message
17 The seventy came back triumphant. “Master, even the demons danced to your tune!”
18-20 Jesus said, “I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I’ve given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that’s the agenda for rejoicing.”
21 At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. “I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
22 “I’ve been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to.”
23-24 He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. “Fortunate the eyes that see what you’re seeing! There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper.”
Defining “Neighbor”
25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”
26 He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”
27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
28 “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”
29 Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”
30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33-35 “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’
36 “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”
37 “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
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John 7:32-8:11
Tree of Life Version
32 The Pharisees heard people in the crowd murmuring these things about Him, and the ruling kohanim and Pharisees sent guards to arrest Him.
33 Yeshua said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me. 34 You will look for Me but will not find Me. Where I am, you cannot come.”
35 The Judean leaders then said among themselves, “Where is this person about to go that we shall not find Him? He’s not going to the Diaspora to teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What did He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me but will not find Me. Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Satisfying Spiritual Thirst
37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” [a] 39 Now He said this about the Ruach, whom those who trusted in Him were going to receive; for the Ruach[b] was not yet given, since Yeshua was not yet glorified.
40 When they heard these words, some of the crowd said, “This man really is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the Messiah.” Still others were saying, “The Messiah doesn’t come from the Galilee, does He? 42 Didn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, David’s town?” [c] 43 So a division arose in the crowd because of Yeshua. 44 Some wanted to capture Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
Religious Adversaries
45 Then the guards returned to the ruling kohanim and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him?”
46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man,” the guards answered.
47 The Pharisees responded, “You haven’t been led astray also, have you? 48 Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? 49 No, but this mob that doesn’t know the Torah—they are cursed!”
50 Nicodemus, the one who had come to Yeshua before and was one of them, said to them, 51 “Our Torah doesn’t judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”
52 They answered him, “You aren’t from the Galilee too, are you? Search, and see that no prophet comes out of the Galilee!”[d]
53 Then everyone went to his own house.
Mercy for a Sinful Woman
8 But Yeshua went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn, He came again into the Temple. All the people were coming to Him, and He sat down and began to teach them.
3 The Torah scholars and Pharisees bring in a woman who had been caught in adultery. After putting her in the middle, 4 they say to Yeshua, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the Torah, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” 6 Now they were saying this to trap Him, so that they would have grounds to accuse Him.
But Yeshua knelt down and started writing in the dirt with His finger. 7 When they kept asking Him, He stood up and said, “The sinless one among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then He knelt down again and continued writing on the ground.
9 Now when they heard, they began to leave, one by one, the oldest ones first, until Yeshua was left alone with the woman in the middle. 10 Straightening up, Yeshua said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”
11 “No one, Sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Yeshua said. “Go, and sin no more.”
John 7:32-8:11
English Standard Version
Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd (A)muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent (B)officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, (C)“I will be with you a little longer, and then (D)I am going to him who sent me. 34 (E)You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? (F)Does he intend to go to (G)the Dispersion among (H)the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, (I)‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
Rivers of Living Water
37 (J)On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, (K)“If anyone thirsts, let him (L)come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, (M)as[a] the Scripture has said, (N)‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of (O)living water.’” 39 Now (P)this he said about the Spirit, (Q)whom those who believed in him were to receive, (R)for as yet the Spirit had not been (S)given, (T)because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division Among the People
40 When they heard these words, (U)some of the people said, “This really is (V)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (W)the Christ.” But some said, (X)“Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes (Y)from the offspring of David, and comes (Z)from Bethlehem, the village (AA)where David was?” 43 So there was (AB)a division among the people over him. 44 (AC)Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
45 (AD)The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, (AE)“No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, (AF)“Have you also been deceived? 48 (AG)Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 (AH)Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 (AI)“Does our law judge a man without first (AJ)giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, (AK)“Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that (AL)no prophet arises from Galilee.”
[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.][b]
The Woman Caught in Adultery
53 [[They went each to his own house, 8 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 (AM)Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and (AN)he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now (AO)in the Law, Moses commanded us (AP)to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said (AQ)to test him, (AR)that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, (AS)“Let him who is without sin among you (AT)be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, (AU)“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on (AV)sin no more.”]]
John 7:32-8:11
The Message
32-34 The Pharisees, alarmed at this seditious undertow going through the crowd, teamed up with the high priests and sent their police to arrest him. Jesus rebuffed them: “I am with you only a short time. Then I go on to the One who sent me. You will look for me, but you won’t find me. Where I am, you can’t come.”
35-36 The Jews put their heads together. “Where do you think he is going that we won’t be able to find him? Do you think he is about to travel to the Greek world to teach the Jews? What is he talking about, anyway: ‘You will look for me, but you won’t find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you can’t come’?”
37-39 On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)
40-44 Those in the crowd who heard these words were saying, “This has to be the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Messiah!” But others were saying, “The Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? Don’t the Scriptures tell us that the Messiah comes from David’s line and from Bethlehem, David’s village?” So there was a split in the crowd over him. Some went so far as wanting to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 That’s when the Temple police reported back to the high priests and Pharisees, who demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him with you?”
46 The police answered, “Have you heard the way he talks? We’ve never heard anyone speak like this man.”
47-49 The Pharisees said, “Are you carried away like the rest of the rabble? You don’t see any of the leaders believing in him, do you? Or any from the Pharisees? It’s only this crowd, ignorant of God’s Law, that is taken in by him—and damned.”
50-51 Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus earlier and was both a ruler and a Pharisee, spoke up. “Does our Law decide about a man’s guilt without first listening to him and finding out what he is doing?”
52-53 But they cut him off. “Are you also campaigning for the Galilean? Examine the evidence. See if any prophet ever comes from Galilee.”
[Then they all went home.
To Throw the Stone
8 1-2 Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3-6 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
6-8 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
9-10 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”
11 “No one, Master.”
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”]
Note: John 7:53–8:11 [the portion in brackets] is not found in the earliest handwritten copies.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson