REMOVAL FROM THE CONGREGATION

(Formerly called Disfellowshipping)

(See also Committee of Elders [for Addressing Serious Sin]; Disassociation; Reinstatement)

(Note centered heading below: Quotations)

adjustment of designation: ijwfq article 66; w24.08 27

announcement: w24.08 27; od 151; w96 1/15 19; om 148

appeals: od 150-151; om 147-148

association with removed ones: w24.08 27; scl 11; w88 4/15 26-30; w86 3/15 18

court case over refusal: w88 4/15 26, 28-29; g87 10/22 27

relatives: mwb20.12 2-3; w17.09 5-6

value of terminating: w21.09 29; mwb20.12 3; w13 6/15 28; w11 2/15 31-32; w11 7/15 32; g87 8/22 13

attitude toward removed ones: w24.08 27

benefits: ijwfq article 66; w21.10 10-11; w15 4/15 30-31; kr 114-115; yb93 191; w88 4/15 27-28, 30-31

Bible basis: w24.08 18-19; scl 101; w21.10 11-12; w16.11 12; w06 11/15 27

children: w21.09 26-27; mwb20.12 3; od 154; om 151-152

parental relationship with: w18.03 31; w13 1/15 15-16; w07 1/15 20

parental responsibility toward: lv 208; w07 1/15 20; km 8/02 4; w01 10/1 16-17; w88 11/15 20

whether parents may sit with at meetings: w13 8/15 8

comments by historian Edward Gibbon: w88 4/15 30

discipline: w21.09 30; w21.10 10-12; it-1 629; w13 6/15 28; w03 10/1 22; w88 4/15 26-27, 29-31

Hymenaeus: it-1 1164

discussion: ijwfq article 66; w24.08 26-31; scl 101-102; w22.02 5-6; lff lesson 57; od 150-151; it-1 787-788; lvs 241; kr 114-115; w06 11/15 26-27; jv 186-187; w91 4/15 15-16; om 142-149; w88 4/15 26-31

early Christians: w88 4/15 26-27, 30; g87 10/8 27

Corinth congregation: w24.08 15-19; w21.10 11-12; w88 11/15 14-15

encouragement for removed to return: w24.08 27-29; w21.09 28; jr 145; w06 9/1 21; w06 11/15 30; w98 10/1 8-18

examples:

theft to cover investors’ losses: w97 7/15 13

experiences:

Aborigine returns to truth: w94 5/1 30

accept deservedness: w11 2/15 32; g98 3/22 30; g97 6/8 27; g96 9/8 27; w88 4/15 30-31

achieves reinstatement: w10 3/15 32

attack in media (Norway): yb12 156-157

attracted to truth because of another’s: w15 4/15 30; w92 3/15 12

chief defends Witnesses: w91 7/1 31

come to senses: yb12 157; w06 8/1 27; g01 11/22 20-22; w98 10/1 9-11

elders visit removed ones: w93 7/15 27; w92 8/15 31

family member removed: w21.09 29; w18.03 31; w16.06 15; w15 4/15 29, 31; w13 6/15 28; w12 4/15 12; w11 2/15 31-32; w11 7/15 32; w06 1/1 11; w95 12/15 28; g92 12/22 20-22; w88 4/15 26, 30; g87 8/22 13

lady impressed by: yb93 191

parents removed: km 8/02 4; g92 10/22 19-21; w88 4/15 30

pride overcome: w18.03 26

video Never Doubt Jehovah’s Mercy: lff lesson 57

family members or relatives: w21.09 26-31

fear of: g97 1/22 12

feelings of removed ones: ijwfq article 66; jr 73

funeral for removed ones: km 3/97 7

grounds for removal: ijwfq article 66; scl 101; it-1 788; w15 4/15 29; w98 3/15 22; w92 7/1 19; w89 9/15 18; w88 4/15 26-27

absolute endangerment of mate’s spirituality: w88 11/1 22-23

apostasy: w89 10/1 19; w86 3/15 15; w86 4/1 30-31; w86 10/15 31

bestiality: it-1 292

bloodguilt: w06 9/15 30

blood transfusion: jv 183-184

brazen (loose) conduct: lvs 249; w06 7/15 30-31

dishonest practices: w86 11/15 14

drunkenness: it-1 656

employment involving gambling: w95 5/15 23

extortion: it-1 789; w89 1/15 22

extreme physical abuse of family members: lv 221; g01 11/8 12; fy 150; w88 11/1 22

fits of anger: lv 221; w10 6/15 30; g01 11/8 12; g97 6/8 20; fy 150; g93 2/8 14

fornication: it-1 863; w06 7/15 29-30

fraud: od 146; om 142-143

gambling in certain cases: w89 7/15 30

gluttony: w04 11/1 30-31

greed in relation to bride-price: w98 9/15 25

lap dancing in certain cases: w18.11 25

lying: lv 163; w09 6/15 18-19; g00 2/8 21

obscene speech: lvs 162; lv 136-137

polygamy: jv 176

pornography in certain cases: w12 3/15 31; w06 7/15 31

promoting sects: it-2 886

reviling: it-1 991; it-2 802; lvs 164; lv 138; w96 7/15 17-18

sexting in certain cases: w18.11 26

sexual abuse of children: w19.05 11; g93 10/8 10

slander: od 146; w89 10/15 14; om 142-143

subversive activity: w95 10/1 31

uncleanness when gross: lvs 249; lv 137; w12 3/15 31; w06 7/15 30-31

use of tobacco: w17.02 27-28; kr 112; w06 7/15 30-31; w95 5/15 23

whether violation of secular law is: w86 10/1 31

willful nonsupport of family: lv 220-221; w88 11/1 22

‘handing over to Satan’ (1Co 5:5; 1Ti 1:20): it-2 869-870; w08 7/15 26-27; w06 11/15 27

how elders assist removed ones: ijwfq article 66; w24.08 27-29; w21.10 11; w15 4/15 31; w96 11/1 14, 16; w93 7/15 27; w91 4/15 21-23; w91 8/15 28

ones removed long ago: w24.08 28-29

how to obtain literature for personal use: km 7/04 3

how to treat family of removed ones: w21.09 29-30; w15 4/15 31; jd 149-150; w95 7/15 26-27; w91 4/15 23-25

how to treat removed ones: ijwfq article 66; w24.08 29-31; scl 101; od 200; it-1 788; lvs 39-40; lv 34-35, 207-209; jd 147; km 8/02 3-4; w88 4/15 27-28

2 John 9-11: ijwfq article 66; w24.08 29, 31; it-1 200; w88 4/15 27

“as a tax collector” (Mt 18:17): it-2 1070; w91 4/15 20-21

at meetings: w25.05 7; w24.08 30-31; w13 8/15 8

divorced noncustodial parent: g97 12/8 11-12; g91 9/22 30

family members: mwb20.12 2-3; w17.10 16

family members living at home: ijwfq article 66; lv 208; w13 8/15 8; w07 1/15 20; km 8/02 3-4; w91 4/15 22; w88 4/15 28; w88 11/15 20

family members living elsewhere: lv 208-209; w13 8/15 8; w11 2/15 31-32; w11 7/15 30-32; w07 1/15 20; km 8/02 4; w88 4/15 28; g87 8/22 13

if removed one answers the phone: w95 7/15 27

mercy: w95 12/15 28-29; w91 4/15 17-25

not eating together (1Co 5:11): w24.08 15-16

ostracism is the fault of the ones removed: w24.08 27

relatives: mwb20.12 3; lv 208-209; w13 8/15 8; w12 4/15 12; w92 6/1 18-19; w91 4/15 22; w89 9/15 24; w88 4/15 28

trust in Jehovah: w15 4/15 27-28

whether to invite to attend meetings: w24.08 30

Israel (ancient): it-1 787-788

synagogue procedure: it-1 787

Jehovah’s example: w24.08 28; it-1 787

legality: ijwfq article 66

loving provision: mwb20.12 3; mwb19.03 6; lvs 40; w15 4/15 29-31; w15 6/15 32; lv 35; g96 9/8 26-27; w95 7/15 25-27

meaning of term: w91 4/15 16

meetings with wrongdoer prior to decision: w24.08 22-23; od 148-151; it-1 788; w92 7/1 17-19; w89 9/15 18-20; om 145-147

discerning repentance: w21.10 6; w17.11 17; w95 1/1 27-30; om 146

distinguishing between weakness and wickedness: w95 1/1 27-31

distinguishing gross uncleanness and loose conduct: w06 7/15 30-31

example of Law covenant: it-2 233-234

Jehovah’s example: it-2 233

urging wrongdoer to change: w95 1/1 30-31

merciful provision: w21.10 10-12

modern history: kr 114

newly baptized wrongdoer: w96 1/15 19

not evidence of unforgivable sin: w95 12/15 29; w92 9/15 12

prayer about removed one: jr 139; w01 12/1 30-31

procedure: od 150-151; om 147-148

propriety: it-2 225; w11 8/15 31; w98 3/15 22-23; w88 4/15 26-31

purpose: w24.08 15-16; od 150; it-1 629, 787; it-2 1150; kr 114; w11 2/15 31; w06 11/15 27; jv 186-187; yb93 191; om 146-147

cleanness of congregation: it-1 787; it-2 1150; kr 114-115; w05 9/1 30-31

discipline: w21.09 30; it-1 629; w13 6/15 28; w03 10/1 22; w88 4/15 26-27, 29-31

protection of congregation: w21.10 10-11

supporting elders’ decision: w22.02 5-6; w21.09 28-29; mwb20.12 3; w07 1/15 20; w06 9/1 20-21; w99 6/1 17-18; w92 6/1 18-19

unbaptized publishers not removed: od 154; om 148; w88 11/15 18-19

understanding clarified (1952): w23.05 18; kr 114; w06 5/15 24-25; jv 187

understanding clarified (2024): w24.08 27-28

video Loyally Uphold Jehovah’s Judgments—Shun Unrepentant Wrongdoers on jw.org: mwb17.09 8

worldwide:

1985: w86 1/1 13

1986: w87 7/15 15; w87 9/15 13

1988: w89 12/1 17

1990: w91 11/15 9

wrongdoers no longer associating: w87 9/1 14

Quotations

constitutionally protected privilege: w88 4/15 29

High Court of Justice, England and Wales, 2019: ijwfq article 66

perfectly lawful and legitimate: ijwfq article 66

right of every society: w88 4/15 30