Matthew 18:12 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus pictures a shepherd leaving ninety-nine to search for one stray sheep.
What Does Matthew 18:12 Mean?
Jesus draws the disciples into the lesson with a question: how do you think a shepherd acts? If one of a hundred sheep wanders off, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and goes into the hills after the single stray.
The arithmetic looks reckless until you see it through love's eyes. The one that is lost is not written off as a small loss but pursued with care. This is how God regards the straying little one, and how Christ Himself moves toward the wanderer. No soul is too small to seek; the Shepherd counts each one worth the climb into the mountains.
Matthew 18:12 in the Original Language
planao (πλανάω), 'gone astray' -- to wander off, to be led from the right path.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 18:12
What does Matthew 18:12 mean?
Jesus pictures a shepherd leaving ninety-nine to search for one stray sheep.