Jesus commands direct, private confrontation as the first step when a brother sins against you — not gossip, not silence, not public exposure. The goal is restoration: “if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Wider steps come only if private appeal fails.
Matthew 18:15 KJV“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”
Read Matthew 18 →
Jesus commands direct, private confrontation when a brother sins — not venting to others, not withdrawing in silence, not managing the tension from a distance. Go to that person directly, alone, first. This takes courage and requires that you actually care more about the person than about avoiding discomfort. When someone in your community has wronged you or is walking in sin, do you go to them directly — or do you find another way to handle it?
Go to your brother today. You know who it is — the one who wronged you, the one walking in sin you've watched from a distance. Before you mention it to anyone else, go directly to that person, alone. Name the offense clearly and privately. Not after you process it more, not after you tell someone else — now. Obey the order Jesus gave: direct, private, first.
When you go directly and privately to your brother, you break the cycle of gossip and hidden resentment. You participate in the Father's own heart for reconciliation — His pursuit of the wandering, His love that confronts in order to restore. This obedience draws you into His restorative work and deepens your walk with Him.
This is one of 69 direct commands of Jesus in the free Red Letter Challenge: All Commands of Jesus — The Living Sword
Read every Scripture in your chosen translation (WEB, KJV, Geneva, YLT, and more) at https://www.thelivingsword.org/red-letter-challenge/if-your-brother-sins-against-you