Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse begins with a strong call to "take heed to yourselves!" This isn't just about avoiding sin, but about guarding your own spiritual health before you confront your brother, because the way you handle conflict reveals more about your own heart than the other person's actions.
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just warned his disciples against causing others to stumble, contrasting a life of humble service with the pursuit of power and prestige. He then directly addresses the disciples, urging them to be mindful of their own spiritual condition and to actively engage with brothers who sin against them. This teaching emphasizes both accountability within the community and the essential grace of forgiveness when repentance occurs.
Before you can help your brother, Jesus says you need to 'take heed to yourselves.' What does that mean for how we approach conflict?
Jesus' instruction to 'take heed to yourselves' is a vital starting point before addressing a brother's sin. It’s easy to jump straight to judging or correcting others, but Jesus reminds us to first examine our own hearts and motives.
Examine Your Own Heart
When your brother sins, Jesus doesn't say 'ignore it' or 'punish them.' He gives a specific action. What's the goal?
The command to 'rebuke him' isn't about harsh judgment or public shaming. It's a proactive step aimed at restoration.
The Path to Reconciliation
Ask a follow-up
Jesus links rebuke directly to forgiveness. What makes forgiveness so essential, especially when repentance is involved?
The second part of Jesus' instruction is crucial: 'if he repents, forgive him.' This isn't just a suggestion; it's a divine mandate flowing from God's own character.
The Heart of Forgiveness
Understand the original words
hamartanō · Greek Verb
To miss the mark of God's standard of holiness. It involves disobedience to God's law or a failure to love God and neighbor as commanded.
epitimaō · Greek Verb
To admonish, warn, or express strong disapproval toward someone who has done wrong. It is intended to bring conviction and lead the offender toward correction and restoration.
metanoeō · Greek Verb
To change one's mind or purpose, involving a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. It is a fundamental shift in the heart that results in a change of life direction.
aphiēmi · Greek Verb
To release from debt or guilt, canceling the penalty owed for an offense. In the Christian context, it mirrors the way God grants grace to those who have offended Him.
This passage mirrors Luke's teaching on how to address a brother's sin, outlining a process of private rebuke, involving witnesses, and finally bringing it to the church if necessary, emphasizing restoration.
Ephesians 4:32This verse highlights the heart of forgiveness, urging believers to be 'kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you,' which is the motive and model for our own forgiveness as instructed in Luke.
Colossians 3:13Echoing the sentiment in Luke, this passage strongly commands believers to 'bear with each other and forgive one another' and connects it to God's forgiveness of us, underscoring the non-negotiable nature of this command.
Galatians 6:1This verse directly addresses how to approach someone caught in sin: 'Brothers, if anyone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.' It complements Luke's command to rebuke by emphasizing the attitude of gentleness and restoration.
1 Peter 4:8This verse states, 'Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.' It provides the foundational principle of love that should undergird the whole process of addressing sin and offering forgiveness described in Luke.
expositorsLuke 17:3: "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."
8-27 Chapter 22THE ETHICS OF THE GOSPEL. WHATEVER of truth there may be in the charge of "other-worldliness," as brought against the modern exponents of Christianity, such a charge could not even be whispered against its Divine Founder. It is just possible that the Church had been gazing too steadfastly up into heaven, and that she had not been studying the science of the "Huma…
barnesLuke 17:3: "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."
See the notes at Matthew 18:15 , Matthew 18:21-22 . "Trespass against thee." Sin against thee, or does anything that gives you an offence or does you an injury. Rebuke - Reprove. Go and tell him his fault, and seek an explanation. Acquaint him with what has been the effect of his conduct, and the state of your feelings, that he may acknowledge his error and repent.
The verse begins with a strong call to "take heed to yourselves!" This isn't just about avoiding sin, but about guarding your own spiritual health before you confront your brother, because the way you handle conflict reveals more about your own heart than the other person's actions.
Jesus has just warned his disciples against causing others to stumble, contrasting a life of humble service with the pursuit of power and prestige. He then directly addresses the disciples, urging them to be mindful of their own spiritual condition and to actively engage with brothers who sin against them. This teaching emphasizes both accountability within the community and the essential grace of forgiveness when repentance occurs.
Jesus has just warned his disciples against causing others to stumble, contrasting a life of humble service with the pursuit of power and prestige. He then directly addresses the disciples, urging them to be mindful of their own spiritual condition and to actively engage with brothers who sin against them. This teaching emphasizes both accountability within the community and the essential grace of forgiveness when repentance occurs.
"Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”" — The verse begins with a strong call to "take heed to yourselves!" This isn't just about avoiding sin, but about guarding your own spiritual health before you confront your brother, because the way…
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Last reviewed October 2026