Many commentaries and some modern Bible translations, including the English Standard Version, omit Matthew 18:11 because it is not in a few ancient manuscripts (although the King James Version kept it). Metzger proposes that Matthew 18:11 was brought here from Luke 19:10 to transition from Matthew 18:10 to Matthew 18:12–14, but this explanation has problems. First, Luke 19:10 reads, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,
while Matthew 18:11 lacks the verb “seek, which appears only in a few manuscripts in which it was added in to make Matthew 18:11 identical to Luke 19:10. Second, the Lukan formulation, including the verb seek,
would have worked to introduce the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:12–13, but as the verse stands in Matthew, it only loosely connects to either Matthew 18:10 or Matthew 18:12–14. If Matthew 18:11 is a causal explanation of Matthew 18:10, then the sudden shift in subject is awkward: Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.
A similar problem is seen in the parable that follows, where the subject is not the Son of Man but the heavenly Father (Matthew 18:14). One could rather argue that Matthew 18:11 was not inserted, but cut in early manuscripts for stylistic or philological reasons, to allow Matthew 18:12–14 to follow smoothly after Matthew 18:10. The manuscript support for this verse and its presence across varied older translations are good reasons to keep it.
Many commentaries and several modern Bible translations—including the English Standard Version—omit Matthew 18:11 because it is absent from a small group of ancient manuscripts (even though it is retained in the King James Version). Metzger proposes that Matthew 18:11 was imported here from Luke 19:10 to create a smoother connection between Matthew 18:10 and Matthew 18:12–14. However, such an explanation raises several difficulties. Firstly, Luke 19:10 reads, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
In Matthew 18:11, however, the verb seek
is lacking. It appears only in a very small number of manuscripts in which it was quite clearly added in order to bring Matthew 18:11 into conformity with Luke 19:10.
Secondly, the original Lukan formulation—including the verb “seek"—ironically would have served well as an introduction to the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:12–13, yet as the verse stands in Matthew, it can only loosely be connected with either Matthew 18:10 or Matthew 18:12–14. If Matthew 18:11 is taken as a causal explanation of Matthew 18:10, then the sudden shift in subject would be highly awkward: Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.
A similar problem emerges in the parable that follows, where the subject is not the Son of Man but rather the heavenly Father (Matthew 18:14).
As such, one could just as plausibly argue that Matthew 18:11 was actually not inserted but omitted in early manuscripts for stylistic or philological reasons, in order to allow Matthew 18:12–14 to follow more smoothly after Matthew 18:10. Yet the substantial manuscript support for this verse, together with its presence across diverse ancient translations, provides strong grounds for retaining it.1
10 Gardez-vous de mépriser un seul de ces petits; car je vous dis que leurs anges dans les cieux voient continuellement la face de mon Père qui est dans les cieux.