Luke 17:3
 
Luke 17:3
(KJV) Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
(1611 KJV) Take heed to your selues: If thy brother trespasse against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgiue him.
(1568 Bishops Bible) Take heede to your selues: If thy brother trespasse agaynst thee, rebuke hym: and yf he repent, forgeue hym.
(1526 Tyndale) Take hede to youre selves. If thy brother trespas agaynst the rebuke him:
 
Counterfeit Versions
(CSB) Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
(NIV) So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
(NASV) "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
(THE MESSAGE) "Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him.
(AMP) Pay attention and always be on your guard [looking out for one another]. If your brother sins (misses the mark), solemnly tell him so and reprove him, and if he repents (feels sorry for having sinned), forgive him.
(NLT) So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.
(ESV) Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,
(CEV) So be careful what you do. Correct any followers of mine who sin, and forgive the ones who say they are sorry.
(NCV) So be careful! "If another follower sins, warn him, and if he is sorry and stops sinning, forgive him.
(1901 ASV) Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
(HCSB) Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
(NIRV) So watch what you do. "If your brother sins, tell him he is wrong. Then if he turns away from his sins, forgive him.
(RSV) Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
(NAB-Roman Catholic) Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother commits a sin give him a rebuke, and if he repents forgive him.
 
Textus Receptus
prosecete eautoiV ean de amarth eiV se o adeljoV sou epitimhson autw kai ean metanohsh ajeV autw
 
Hort-Westcott Critical Text
prosecete eautoiV ean amarth o adeljoV sou epitimhson autw kai ean metanohsh ajeV autw
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
L 019 - Seventh century
038 - (Majuscule) Ninth century
 
Manuscripts that agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Byzantine Text
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
K 017 - Ninth century
X 033 - Tenth century
33 (Miniscule) - Ninth Century
038 - (Majuscule) Ninth century
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit “against thee” after “trespass”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
 
Affected Teachings
The modern versions omit “against thee” and make it a general rebuke for any sin. If we have a friend or a relative who has sinned, of course, we tell them and rebuke them for it, so they will not do it again. However, in this verse Jesus tells us that the brother sins against us, we are to rebuke him, and if he repents and is truly sorry, then we are to forgive him. Let us ask, what is the difference between the two? Let use an illustration. If your brother takes a can of spray paint and paints up the neighbor’s car, then we need to rebuke him so he will not do it again. If he takes that can of spray paint and paints your car all up, will it be as easy to forgive him as it was if he sinned against someone else and didn’t cause you the problem? That is the difference. It is easier to rebuke a person who has sinned against someone else but if they sin against us, it becomes harder to forgive because it becomes personal. This is why the Lord is personalizing the Christian response. The words “rebuke” and “forgive” are in the Imperative Mood making them commands and not suggestions. So if someone sins against you and you do not rebuke and forgive, then you are as guilty of disobedience against the word of God as the one is who sinned against you. This verse is also speaking of a Christian brother or sister. This is why the phrase “against thee” is so important because it completes the reason for the command to rebuke and forgive. Once again the modern versions omit a strategic piece of Scripture.

Back