Matthew 18:20
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Context around the verse (this has to deal with reconciliation within the church)
Key is verse 19.
Matthew 18:15-20
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
A little bit before this verse
Matthew 18:7-9
Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
Looking at the whole chapter, this verse is in the midst of other parables that were given. Jesus is teaching them about multiple different things. Seeing that not too long before He talks about temptations to sin and right after He gives the parable of the unforgiving servant. The context tells us that this is about helping us know how to reconcile with each other when we sin against one another. Verse 19 shows that when two are in agreement about reconciling to each other God will make sure it happens. Then the last verse similarly tells us that when two or three are gathered with the heart to reconcile the power of the Holy Spirit is with them. That means that God will facilitate that meeting to bring reconciliation so that unity remains. If they choose to not gather in the name of Jesus and allow the flesh to lead then reconciliation will not take place resulting in disunity. This is verse is not focused on prayer.
