Lessons about Forgiveness

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Master, how often shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Yeshua said to him, “No, not up to seven times, I tell you, but seventy times seven! ^{[a] 23} Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴ When he had begun to settle up, a man was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ^{[b] 25} But since he didn’t have the money to repay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ Then the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll repay you everything.’ ²⁷ And the master of that slave, filled with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “Now that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. And he grabbed him and started choking him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’

²⁹ “So his fellow slave fell down and kept begging him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ ³⁰ Yet he was unwilling. Instead, he went off and threw the man into prison until he paid back all he owed.

³¹ “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply distressed. They went to their master and reported in detail all that had happened. ³² Then summoning the first slave, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ Wasn’t it necessary for you also to show mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed mercy to you?’ ³⁴ Enraged, the master handed him over to the torturers until he paid back all he owed.

³⁵ “So also My heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you, from your hearts, forgives his brother.”