Luke 17:3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.
The setting
Continuing Jesus's teaching to disciples about relationships and forgiveness. Galilee region, modern Israel/Palestine.
The emotion here: patient teacher modeling difficult wisdom
The original word
epitimaō (ἐπιτίμησον) — to honor someone by confronting them, not attack them
Why it matters
Jewish culture required witnesses for accusations, making private confrontation radical
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 17:3
The word 'rebuke' here means 'show honor' — you confront because you value the relationship
Common misconceptionPeople think Jesus is telling them to be harsh or judgmental. Actually, He's teaching the gentlest form of confrontation — going directly to the person first, privately.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 17:3
Bible Genome reading
Luke 17:3 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 17:3 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the letter genre of biblical literature. Key themes include forgiveness, confrontation. Notable phrases: if your brother sins; rebuke him; if he repents forgive. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 17:3 mean to you, today?
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