Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
- KJV Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
- NKJV Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
- NASB And yet do not regard that person as an enemy, but admonish that one as a brother or sister.
- NLT Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Even so, they must not treat such a person as an enemy but admonish him as a brother. Discipline is to be carried out in love, with restoration in view.
Overview
Paul carefully guards the spirit of the discipline: the disobedient member remains a "brother" to be warned, not an enemy to be hated. This keeps the church from harshness or rejection and keeps the door open to repentance. The verse beautifully balances firmness toward sin with love toward the sinner, mirroring God's own dealings with his people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Titus 3:10Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,
- 1 Th 5:14And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
- 1 Cor 5:5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
- 1 Cor 4:14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
- Gal 6:1Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- Prov 9:9Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
- Prov 25:12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
- Matt 18:15If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
- 2 Cor 13:10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
- 2 Cor 2:6–10The punishment imposed on him by the majority is sufficient for him.
- 2 Cor 10:8For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.
- Jas 5:19–20My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
- Jude 1:22–23And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;
- Lev 19:17–18You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him.
- Ps 141:5Let the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. For my prayer is ever against the deeds of the wicked.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ will be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, glorified in his saints, overthrowing the lawless one — the certain hope that steadies the suffering church.
How 2 Thessalonians 3:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.