# Matthew 18.20 **Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 18. Truly I say unto you, what things soever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. > > **20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middle of them.** > > 21. Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? 22. Jesus says unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:18-22, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 18. Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. > > **20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”** > > 21. Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22. Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:18-22, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 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. 19. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. > > **20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.** > > 21. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:18-22, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 18. 'Verily I say to you, Whatever things ye may bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things ye may loose on the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens. 19. 'Again, I say to you, that, if two of you may agree on the earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask, it shall be done to them from my Father who is in the heavens, > > **20. for where there are two or three gathered together, to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'** > > 21. Then Peter having come near to him, said, 'Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him, till seven times?' 22. Jesus saith to him, 'I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:18-22, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching - **Audience:** Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis) - **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition) - **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80 ## Theological reading ## Key words - [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), *eimi* (Strong's G1510). Also appears in: [Matthew 8.5-12](/codex/matthew-8-5-12/), [Matthew 14.22-33](/codex/matthew-14-22-33/), [Matthew 27.22-25](/codex/matthew-27-22-25/). - [G3686 - onoma](/codex/g3686-onoma/), *onoma* (Strong's G3686). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.21](/codex/matthew-1-21/), [Matthew 1.23](/codex/matthew-1-23/), [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Concepts:** - [Christianity](/codex/christianity/) - [Christs Deity](/codex/christs-deity/) - [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 18](/codex/matthew-18/) - [Lesson 2.4, Christology in One Lesson](/codex/lesson-2-4-christology-in-one-lesson/) **Lexicon:** - [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/) **Passages:** - [1 Corinthians 13](/codex/1-corinthians-13/) - [1 Corinthians 15.1-11](/codex/1-corinthians-15-1-11/) - [Acts 11](/codex/acts-11/) - [Acts 9](/codex/acts-9/) - [John 1.20](/codex/john-1-20/) - [John 10.11](/codex/john-10-11/) - [John 10.14](/codex/john-10-14/) - [John 10.14-15](/codex/john-10-14-15/) - [John 10.14-16](/codex/john-10-14-16/) - [John 10.14-18](/codex/john-10-14-18/) - [John 10.34-36](/codex/john-10-34-36/) - [John 10.36](/codex/john-10-36/) - [John 10.36-38](/codex/john-10-36-38/) - [John 11](/codex/john-11/) - [John 12.26](/codex/john-12-26/) - [John 13.18-19](/codex/john-13-18-19/) - [John 14.1-7](/codex/john-14-1-7/) - [John 14.3](/codex/john-14-3/) - [John 14.6-7](/codex/john-14-6-7/) - [John 14.7-10](/codex/john-14-7-10/) - [John 14.8-9](/codex/john-14-8-9/) - [John 14.9-11](/codex/john-14-9-11/) - [John 16.32](/codex/john-16-32/) - [John 18.4-6](/codex/john-18-4-6/) - [John 3](/codex/john-3/) - [John 6.41](/codex/john-6-41/) - [John 6.51](/codex/john-6-51/) - [John 7.53-8](/codex/john-7-53-8/) - [John 8.12](/codex/john-8-12/) - [John 8.14-19](/codex/john-8-14-19/) - [John 8.16](/codex/john-8-16/) - [John 8.16-18](/codex/john-8-16-18/) - [John 8.18](/codex/john-8-18/) - [John 8.18-24](/codex/john-8-18-24/) - [John 8.23-29](/codex/john-8-23-29/) - [John 9.9](/codex/john-9-9/) - [Luke 15.11-32](/codex/luke-15-11-32/) - [Luke 22.54-62](/codex/luke-22-54-62/) - [Luke 22.66-71](/codex/luke-22-66-71/) - [Luke 24.36-42](/codex/luke-24-36-42/) - [Luke 7.1-10](/codex/luke-7-1-10/) - [Mark 14.53-65](/codex/mark-14-53-65/) - [Mark 14.61-62](/codex/mark-14-61-62/) - [Mark 14.62](/codex/mark-14-62/) - [Mark 6](/codex/mark-6/) - [Mark 6.45-52](/codex/mark-6-45-52/) - [Mark 6.47-50](/codex/mark-6-47-50/) - [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/) - [Matthew 14.22-33](/codex/matthew-14-22-33/) - [Matthew 27.22-25](/codex/matthew-27-22-25/) - [Matthew 28.19-20](/codex/matthew-28-19-20/) - [Matthew 8.5-12](/codex/matthew-8-5-12/) - [Philippians 4.11-13](/codex/philippians-4-11-13/) - [Revelation 1.17-18](/codex/revelation-1-17-18/) - [Revelation 1.7-8](/codex/revelation-1-7-8/) - [Revelation 18.6-8](/codex/revelation-18-6-8/) - [Revelation 19.9-10](/codex/revelation-19-9-10/) - [Revelation 21.6-7](/codex/revelation-21-6-7/) - [Revelation 22.13](/codex/revelation-22-13/) - [Revelation 22.16](/codex/revelation-22-16/) - [Romans 7](/codex/romans-7/) - [Romans 7.14-25](/codex/romans-7-14-25/)