What Does Matthew 18:17 Mean?
And if he turns his ear aside from them, tell it to the assembly. And if he turns his ear aside even from the assembly, let him be to you as one of the nations and as the tax collector.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.THE KEY
The boundary arrives only after the same refusal to hear has moved from the witnesses to the whole assembly.
THE MEANING
The verse carries a private matter into widening circles of hearing: first the witnesses, then the assembly. When even the assembly is disregarded, the person is treated as a heathen and a publican, outside the shared community.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
One person’s refusal to hear is enough to end the relationship; here, the boundary follows only after the assembly too is refused.
THE ROOT
παρακούσῃ
parakousē
GROWS FROM
ἀκούω
akouō
To hear or listen; in this compound, to disregard or refuse to heed.
“turns his ear aside” in this verse is parakousē. The Greek repeats παρακούω (parakouō, disregard or refuse to heed) for both refusing the witnesses and refusing the assembly. The same hearing threshold remains as the circle widens: the issue is not missing a sound, but disregarding what is said.
ALSO GROWS
akouō: Hear, listen.
ἀκούω
This is the hearing named in the preceding verse, where witnesses are brought into the matter.
hypakouō: Obey, heed.
ὑπακούω
This related form shows how hearing can include responding to what is heard, not merely receiving sound.
ἐκκλησία
ekklēsia
GROWS FROM
καλέω
kaleō
Call or summon; the noun ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) means an assembly in this verse.
“Church” can sound like an institution, while ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia, assembly) here means the gathered community. Its form is related to καλέω (kaleō, call or summon), but the verse’s force rests on the assembly as a body whose hearing matters.
ALSO GROWS
klēsis: Calling, invitation.
κλῆσις
This related word keeps the idea of a gathering in view as people brought together.
klētos: Called, invited.
κλητός
Its shared word family echoes the assembly’s gathered character, which gives this matter a public hearing.
THE PATTERN
A disputed matter moves toward a communal boundary through accountable hearing, with witnesses establishing the matter before the community acts.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any crookedness, or for any falling short, in it he misses the mark; upon the mouth of two witnesses, or upon the mouth of three witnesses, the word shall stand.But if he does not hear you, take along with you one or two more, so that upon the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.But those outside, God will judge. Lift out the wicked one from among yourselves.THE THREAD
But if he does not hear you, take along with you one or two more, so that upon the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.Matthew 18:16 uses ἀκούω (akouō, hear or listen) for the first refusal; verse 17 uses παρακούω (parakouō, disregard or refuse to heed) as that hearing test reaches the assembly. The shared root makes the shift one of scale: first the witnesses speak, then the assembled body.
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