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Forgiveness

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.[a]

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;[b] 25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii;[c] and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers,[d] till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:22 Or seventy-seven times
  2. Matthew 18:24 This talent was more than fifteen years’ wages of a laborer
  3. Matthew 18:28 The denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer
  4. Matthew 18:34 Greek torturers

21 Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until [a]seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his [b]servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand This talent was probably worth about £200, or $1000.talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The [d]servant therefore fell down and [e]worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 And the lord of that [f]servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the [g]debt. 28 But that [h]servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred [i]shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. 29 So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due. 31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked [j]servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: 33 shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. 35 So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:22 Or, seventy times and seven
  2. Matthew 18:23 Greek bondservants.
  3. Matthew 18:24 This talent was probably worth about £200, or $1000.
  4. Matthew 18:26 Greek bondservant.
  5. Matthew 18:26 See marginal note on 2:2.
  6. Matthew 18:27 Greek bondservant.
  7. Matthew 18:27 Greek loan.
  8. Matthew 18:28 Greek bondservant.
  9. Matthew 18:28 The word in the Greek denotes a coin worth about eight pence half-penny, or nearly seventeen cents.
  10. Matthew 18:32 Greek bondservant.