Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(A) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(B) you have for all God’s people^(C)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(D) stored up for you in heaven^(E) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(F) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(G) and growing throughout the whole world^(H)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(I) our dear fellow servant,^[a] who is a faithful minister^(J) of Christ on our^[b] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(K)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(L) we have not stopped praying for you.^(M) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(N) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[c](O) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(P) of the Lord and please him^(Q) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(R) 11} being strengthened with all power^(S) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(T) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(U) who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance^(V) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(W) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(X) and brought us into the kingdom^(Y) of the Son he loves,^{(Z) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(AA) the forgiveness of sins.^(AB)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?^(A) Up to seven times?”^(B)

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[a](C)

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like^(D) a king who wanted to settle accounts^(E) with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[b] was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay,^(F) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold^(G) to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.^(H) ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”^(I)

Love for Enemies^(A)

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,^{(B) 28} bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.^{(C) 29} If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.^{(D) 31} Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(E)

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?^(F) Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(G) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(H) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(I) of the Most High,^(J) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(K) just as your Father^(L) is merciful.