The Meaning of Matthew 18:12 Explained

Matthew 18:12

KJV: How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

YLT: What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not -- having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains -- seek that which is gone astray?

Darby: What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?

ASV: How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

How  think  ye?  if  a man  have  an hundred  sheep,  and  one  of  them  be gone astray,  doth he  not  leave  the ninety and nine,  and goeth  into  the mountains,  and seeketh  that which  is gone astray? 

What does Matthew 18:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 18:10-20 - Saving The Straying
How tenderly the Master speaks of the children! We must turn back to become like them, Matthew 18:3. To cause them to stumble is to incur terrible penalties, Matthew 18:6. Not one of them is to be despised, Matthew 18:10. Each has an angel from the Father's presence chamber-one of the most exalted-to take charge of him, Matthew 18:10. To seek and to save one of these, the Good Shepherd is prepared to traverse the mountain paths, Matthew 18:12. It is not the Father's will that one should perish.
When we have sinned against our brother, we must seek him out and be reconciled. See Matthew 5:23-24. But when our brother has sinned against us, we are to make three efforts before we give him up as hopeless. It is the presence of Jesus with His people that brings them into unison with the unseen world, so that their decisions and prayers are simultaneous with the divine mind. The Advocate-Paraclete in our hearts is at one with the Advocate-Paraclete on the throne, John 14:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 18

1  Jesus warns his disciples to be humble and harmless,
7  to avoid offenses,
10  and not to despise the little ones;
15  teaches how we are to deal with our brothers when they offend us,
21  and how often to forgive them;
23  which he sets forth by a parable of the king who took account of his servants,
32  and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellow servant

Greek Commentary for Matthew 18:12

Leave the ninety and nine [απησει τα ενενηκοντα εννεα επι τα ορη και πορευτεις ζητει το πλανωμενον]
This is the text of Westcott and Hort after BL, etc. This text means: “Will he not leave the ninety and nine upon the mountains and going does he not seek (change to present tense) the wandering one?” On the high pastures where the sheep graze at will one has wandered afield. See this parable later in Luke 15:4-7. Our word “planet” is from πλαναομαι — planaomai wandering (moving) stars they were called as opposed to fixed stars. But now we know that no stars are fixed. They are all moving and rapidly. [source]
Leave upon the mountains []
The text here is disputed. Both A. V. and Rev. follow a text which reads: “Doth he not, leaving the ninety and nine, go into the mountains?” Rather join leave with on the mountains, and read, “Will he not leave the ninety and nine upon ( ἐκπὶ , scattered over ) the mountains, and go,” etc. This also corresponds with ἀφήσει , leaving, letting out, or letting loose. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 18:12

Matthew 24:4 Lead you astray [μας πλανησηι]
This warning runs all through the discourse. It is amazing how successful deceivers have been through the ages with their eschatological programs. The word in the passive appears in Matthew 18:12 when the one sheep wanders astray. Here it is the active voice with the causative sense to lead astray. Our word planet comes from this root. [source]
Mark 12:24 Err [πλανᾶσθε]
Lit., wander out of the way. Compare Latin errare. Of the wandering sheep, Matthew 18:12; 1 Peter 2:25. Of the martyrs wandering in the deserts, Hebrews 11:38. Often rendered in the New Testament deceive. See Mark 13:5, Mark 13:6. Compare ἀστέρες πλανῆται , wandering stars (Judges 1:13), from which our word planet. [source]
Luke 15:3 This parable [την παραβολην ταυτην]
The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7). This is Christ‘s way of answering the cavilling of these chronic complainers. Jesus gave this same parable for another purpose in another connection (Matthew 18:12-14). The figure of the Good Shepherd appears also in John 10:1-18. “No simile has taken more hold upon the mind of Christendom” (Plummer). Jesus champions the lost and accepts the challenge and justifies his conduct by these superb stories. “The three Episodes form a climax: The Pasture - the House - the Home; the Herdsman - the Housewife - the Father; the Sheep - the Treasure - the Beloved Son” (Ragg). [source]
John 7:12 Much murmuring [γογγυσμος πολυς]
This Ionic onomatopoetic word is from γογγυζω — gogguzō for which verb see John 6:41, John 6:61; John 7:32, for secret displeasure (Acts 6:1) or querulous discontent (Philemon 2:14). Among the multitudes “The multitudes” literally, plural here only in John. These different groups were visitors from Galilee and elsewhere and were divided in their opinion of Jesus as the Galileans had already become (John 6:66). A good man Pure in motive. See Mark 10:17.; Romans 5:7 (absolute sense of God). Superior to δικαιος — dikaios Jesus had champions in these scattered groups in the temple courts. Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray Sharp clash in the crowd. Present active indicative of εκεινος ο πλανος — planaō to go astray (Matthew 18:12.), like our “planets,” to lead others astray (Matthew 24:4, Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, etc.). In the end the rulers will call Jesus “that deceiver” (ekeinos ho planos Matthew 27:63). The Jewish leaders have a following among the crowds as is seen (John 7:31.). [source]
John 7:12 Among the multitudes [εν τοις οχλοις]
“The multitudes” literally, plural here only in John. These different groups were visitors from Galilee and elsewhere and were divided in their opinion of Jesus as the Galileans had already become (John 6:66). A good man Pure in motive. See Mark 10:17.; Romans 5:7 (absolute sense of God). Superior to δικαιος — dikaios Jesus had champions in these scattered groups in the temple courts. Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray Sharp clash in the crowd. Present active indicative of εκεινος ο πλανος — planaō to go astray (Matthew 18:12.), like our “planets,” to lead others astray (Matthew 24:4, Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, etc.). In the end the rulers will call Jesus “that deceiver” (ekeinos ho planos Matthew 27:63). The Jewish leaders have a following among the crowds as is seen (John 7:31.). [source]
John 7:12 A good man [αγατος]
Pure in motive. See Mark 10:17.; Romans 5:7 (absolute sense of God). Superior to δικαιος — dikaios Jesus had champions in these scattered groups in the temple courts. Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray Sharp clash in the crowd. Present active indicative of εκεινος ο πλανος — planaō to go astray (Matthew 18:12.), like our “planets,” to lead others astray (Matthew 24:4, Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, etc.). In the end the rulers will call Jesus “that deceiver” (ekeinos ho planos Matthew 27:63). The Jewish leaders have a following among the crowds as is seen (John 7:31.). [source]
John 7:12 Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray [ου αλλα πλαναι τον οχλον]
Sharp clash in the crowd. Present active indicative of εκεινος ο πλανος — planaō to go astray (Matthew 18:12.), like our “planets,” to lead others astray (Matthew 24:4, Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, etc.). In the end the rulers will call Jesus “that deceiver” (ekeinos ho planos Matthew 27:63). The Jewish leaders have a following among the crowds as is seen (John 7:31.). [source]
James 5:19 If any one among you do err [εαν τις εν υμιν πλανητηι]
Third-class condition (supposed case) with εαν — ean and the first aorist passive subjunctive of πλαναω — planaō old verb, to go astray, to wander (Matthew 18:12), figuratively (Hebrews 5:2). [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 18:12 mean?

What you do think If there should be to any man a hundred sheep and has gone astray one of them not will he leave the ninety nine on mountains having gone seek the [one] going astray
Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐχὶ ἀφήσει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ ὄρη πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον

δοκεῖ  do  think 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δοκέω  
Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose.
γένηταί  there  should  be 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τινι  to  any 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ἀνθρώπῳ  man 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἑκατὸν  a  hundred 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ἑκατόν  
Sense: a hundred.
πρόβατα  sheep 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: προβάτιον 
Sense: any four footed, tame animal accustomed to graze, small cattle (opp. to large cattle, horses, etc.), most commonly a sheep or a goat.
πλανηθῇ  has  gone  astray 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πλανάω  
Sense: to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way.
ἓν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἀφήσει  will  he  leave 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
ἐνενήκοντα  ninety 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἐνενήκοντα  
Sense: ninety nine.
ἐννέα  nine 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἐννέα  
Sense: nine.
ὄρη  mountains 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὄρος  
Sense: a mountain.
πορευθεὶς  having  gone 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πορεύομαι  
Sense: to lead over, carry over, transfer.
ζητεῖ  seek 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ζητέω  
Sense: to seek in order to find.
τὸ  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πλανώμενον  going  astray 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πλανάω  
Sense: to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way.