18:16a
But: There is a contrast between 18:15c and 18:16a. The contrast is between listening and not listening. The Greek indicates this contrast with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But.
if he will not listen: The phrase will not listen includes the same verb as in 18:15c.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
If he does not hear ⌊you⌋ ⌊and repent⌋
-or-
If he does not listen ⌊to you⌋ ⌊and is not sorry/regretful⌋
-or-
If he does not accept your words
-or-
If he does not agree with you
Some English versions translate this phrase in a way that suggests that he is not willing to listen and respond appropriately. For example:
if he refuses to listen (New Century Version)
18:16b
take one or two others along: This clause means that the one who was wronged should ask or call one or two other people to go along with him. It implies that he should visit the brother a second time. He should “return to your brother” with them. It implies that he has gone away after confronting the brother one time without success.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
take one or two others with you and go back again (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
go to him again and take one or two other people with you (New Century Version)
-or-
ask/call one or two other people to accompany you to go back to your brother
one or two others: This phrase refers to one or two other people. It does not specify who they are, but the context suggests they are also Christians. For example:
take one or two other believers along
General Comment on 18:16b
It is implied that the person who was wronged and the others discuss the problem again with the brother. The one or two other believers try to help resolve the problem. But if the problem is not resolved, then they are able to explain everything to the church in the next step (18:17a).
In some languages, it may be necessary to include some of this implied information. Here are some examples:
⌊and you and they discuss the problem with him again⌋
-or-
⌊and you speak to him again with the others⌋
18:16c
so that: Verse 18:16c is the purpose of taking along some believers (in 18:16b). The Greek introduces this purpose with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that.
Here are some other ways to introduce this purpose:
in order that
-or-
that (English Standard Version)
every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses: This is a quote from Deuteronomy 19:15. That verse talks about someone who is charged with a crime. The law required there to be two or three witnesses to the crime in order for someone to be convicted of it.
Here Jesus used the same principle for establishing truth (some witnesses), but he applied it to a different situation. Here, the witnesses come to support the person who was wronged. They support the charge/accusation against the other brother. They try to convince the man to listen that what he has done is wrong.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
• Keep the wording of the original context. For example:
every complaint must be proven true by two or more witnesses (Contemporary English Version)
• Adapt the wording to the current context. For example:
everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses (New Living Translation (2004))
This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses (God’s Word)
-or-
everything that you accuse him of may be confirmed/proven by two or three witnesses
• Use an active verb. For example:
two or three witnesses will confirm the things that you say that he has done wrong
every matter: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as matter is more literally “word” (as in the Revised Standard Version). In its original context in Deuteronomy, this word refers to the “accusation” that a person had committed a crime. Here, this word refers to the words that you say to tell the man his fault.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
every accusation (Good News Translation)
-or-
everything you say (New Living Translation (2004))
may be established: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as may be established also means “may be confirmed” or “may be proven true.”
The verb is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
may be verified (God’s Word)
-or-
may be proved/shown
• Use an active verb. For example:
may support/confirm
-or-
will show
by the testimony: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates testimony is more literally “mouth.” This is a figure of speech that refers to talking. The work of witnesses was to tell what they saw or heard. So the evidence would be given by their words.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
by the evidence (English Standard Version)
Some English versions do not translate this phrase. The phrase “two or three witnesses” includes this idea. For example:
Every case may be proved by two or three witnesses (New Century Version)
In some languages, this phrase may not be necessary either.
of two or three witnesses: The word witnesses refers to people who have seen or heard something.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
of two or three people who say what they have heard
-or-
of two or three other people who say the same thing
© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.