The Meaning of Matthew 18:20 Explained

Matthew 18:20

KJV: For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

YLT: for where there are two or three gathered together -- to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'

Darby: For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.

ASV: For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered together  in  my  name,  there  am I  in  the midst  of them. 

What does Matthew 18:20 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 18:20

There am I [εκει ειμι]
This blessed promise implies that those gathered together are really disciples with the spirit of Christ as well as “in his name” One of the Oxyrhynchus Sayings of Our Lord is: “Wherever there are (two) they are not without God, and wherever there is one alone I say I am with him.” Also this: “Raise the stone and there thou shalt find me, cleave the wood and there am I.” See Malachi 3:16. [source]
In my name [εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα]
Lit., “into my name.” When two or three are drawn together into Christ as the common centre of their desire and faith. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 18:20 mean?

Where for are two or three gathered together unto - My name there am I in [the] midst of them
οὗ γάρ εἰσιν δύο τρεῖς συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐκεῖ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν

οὗ  Where 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὗ  
Sense: where.
δύο  two 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: δύο 
Sense: the two, the twain.
τρεῖς  three 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
συνηγμένοι  gathered  together 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: συνάγω  
Sense: to gather together, to gather.
εἰς  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐμὸν  My 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Neuter 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.
ὄνομα  name 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
εἰμι  am  I 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
μέσῳ  [the]  midst 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: μέσος  
Sense: middle.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.