The larger context is the agreement between people that heal the divisions.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
Since with reference to this, They are, two or three, having been brought together for this my name, there I am in midst of them.
Jesus can act as a go-between mediating our differences.
The "two" or "three" here echoes the earlier verse, Matthew 18:16, and may refer to the same people.
The "in my name" here is different than the more common way that Jesus says "in my name," having a different preposition and following word form. To distinguish this phrase, it would be better translated as "for my name" or "for honoring my name." See this article for more.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "are" is a helping verb but the active verb with "two or three" as the subject.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "are gathered" seems to be the present tense or, perhaps, the simple past, but this is the past perfect, an action completed in the past, "having been gathered."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "gathered" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "having been gathered."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "in" is not the common word usually translated as "in" in this phrase.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "they are" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "gather" seems to be the present tense, but this is the past perfect, an action completed in the past, "having been gathered."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "gathered" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "having been gathered."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "in" is not the common word usually translated as "in" in this phrase.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "midst" is not shown in the English translation.
For - The word translated as "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, in written English, as "this is because..." to start a new sentence.
where -- The word translated as "where" demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause. In the previous verse, Matthew 18:19, the word translated here as "where" was translated as "that." However, this form here (genitive) becomes the adverb "where" when referring to the subject as it does here.
two -- The Greek word for "two" means "two" or a "couple."
or -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison.
three - "Three" is the Greek word that means the number three.
are - (CW) This seems to be a helping verb that indicates the present tense of the following verb, but it is an active verb here, not a helping verb.
gathered - (WT, WF) "Gathered" is from a verb that means "to bring together," "join," "collect," "unite," and "gather together." It is a play on the verb in the previous verse, Matthew 18:19, that comes from the same root that means "come to an agreement" or "share an opinion." Jesus usually uses this term to be bringing people together, but sometimes uses it for gathering crops. The form is a participle, that is, a verbal adjective. The tense is past perfect, complete in the past.
together-- This is from the prefix of the previous verb that means "together."
in -- (CW) The word translated as "in" means, with the accusative object used here, it means "into," "on," and "for." This is not the preposition usually used with this phrase. This could be better translated as "for" to distinguished the meaning here.
my . -- "My" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive form, so "my" or "of me."
name, The Greek word translated as "name" is much more complicated than it might at first appear. It can simply mean a "name" as in English, but this can be many things in Greek. It doesn't mean the thing itself, but what people call it. For example, it can mean a "false name," or "a pretense" as we say "this is a marriage in name only." It can also mean representing another person's authority, as we say, "he is acting in the name of the boss." See this article.
there - "There" is a word meaning "there," "in that place," and in philosophy means "the intelligible world."
am -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with," "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here.
the -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "the" in the Greek source.
midst - The word translated as "midst" generally means "middle" but has a lot of special meanings with different prepositions. One of those with "in" is "offer for competition" and "middle point." It also means "difference."
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
them. - -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
For - The word translated as "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, in written English, as "this is because..." to start a new sentence.
where -- The word translated as "where" demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause. In the previous verse, Matthew 18:19, the word translated here as "where" was translated as "that." However, this form here (genitive) becomes the adverb "where" when referring to the subject as it does here.
missing "they are" -- (MW) The untranslated word "they are" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are." Here, "they are" works as well.
two -- The Greek word for "two" means "two" or a "couple."
or -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison.
three - "Three" is the Greek word that means the number three.
gather - (WT, WF) "Gather" is from a verb that means "to bring together," "join," "collect," "unite," and "gather together." It is a play on the verb in the previous verse, Matthew 18:19, that comes from the same root that means "come to an agreement" or "share an opinion." Jesus usually uses this term to be bringing people together, but sometimes uses it for gathering crops. The form is a participle, that is, a verbal adjective. The tense is past perfect, complete in the past.
in -- (CW) The word translated as "in" means, with the accusative object used here, it means "into," "on," and "for." This is not the preposition usually used with this phrase. This could be better translated as "for" to distinguished the meaning here.
my . -- "My" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive form, so "my" or "of me."
name, The Greek word translated as "name" is much more complicated than it might at first appear. It can simply mean a "name" as in English, but this can be many things in Greek. It doesn't mean the thing itself, but what people call it. For example, it can mean a "false name," or "a pretense" as we say "this is a marriage in name only." It can also mean representing another person's authority, as we say, "he is acting in the name of the boss." See this article.
there - "There" is a word meaning "there," "in that place," and in philosophy means "the intelligible world."
am -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
with -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with," "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here.
missing "midst" -- (MW) The untranslated word "midst" generally means "middle" but has a lot of special meanings with different prepositions. One of those with "in" is "offer for competition" and "middle point." It also means "difference."
them. - -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
οὗ (adv, pron sg masc/neut gen) "Where" is from hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. There is a special meaning with
gar below, where it means "with reference to that which."
γάρ (conj) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question it means "why" and "what."
εἰσιν (verb 3rd pl pres ind act) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible."
δύο. [36 verses](numeral) "Two" is from duo, which means the number "two," "a couple," and "a pair." -- The Greek word for "two" means "two" or a "couple."
ἢ (conj) "Or" is e which is a particle meaning "either," "or," or "than."
τρεῖς [5 verses] (numeral pl fem nom) "Three" is from treis, which means the number three.
συνηγμένοι [20 verses](part pl perf mp masc nom) "Gather" is synago, which means "bring together," "gather together," "pit [two warriors against each other]," "join in one," "unite," "make friends of," "lead with one," "receive," "reconcile," "draw together," "narrow," "contract," "conclude [from premises]," " infer," and "prove."
εἰς (prep) "In" is from eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."
τὸ (article sg neut acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
ἐμὸν (adj sg neut acc) "My" is from emou, which means "me," and "mine."
ὄνομα, [47 verses]((noun sg neut acc) "Name" is onoma, which means "name." It means both the reputation of "fame," and "a name and nothing else," as opposed to a real person. Acting in someone's name means to act on their behalf, as their representative.
ἐκεῖ [33 verses](adv) "There" is from ekei, which means "there," "in that place," and in philosophy means "the intelligible world." -
εἰμὶ (verb 1st sg pres ind act) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible."
ἐν (prep) "In" is from en, which means "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," and "with."
μέσῳ [11 verses](adj sg masc dat) "The midst" is mesos, which means "middle," "middle point," "midway between," "offered for competition," "deposited," "by the middle," "by the waist," "impartial," "inter-mediate," "indeterminate," "things indifferent (neither good nor bad)," "middling," "moderate," "midst," "intervening space," "intervening," "difference," "in a moderate degree," "in the mean," and "equator."
αὐτῶν (adj pl masc gen) "Of them" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."
The word translated as "in the midst" means both physically in the middle and the different between two people, here, the different between the human perspective and divine.
Since with reference to this [different between the early and divine viewpoint (Matthew 18:19], when two or three join together under my authority, I act as the go-between.