Focused Passage

Matthew 18:21-35

Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community

Matthew moves from the disciples’ question about greatness, to Jesus’ child-centered call to humility, to warnings against causing little ones to stumble, to radical action against sin, to the Father’s care for the little ones, to the pursuit of wandering sheep, to procedures for confronting sin and involving the church, to binding and loosing with Christ’s presence, and finally to the necessity of unlimited forgiveness rooted in the King’s mercy.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

23Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

26Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

29So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

30But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

31When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

32Then the master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.

33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’

34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

35That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 21

Original words

ThenΤότεG5119AdverbPeterΠέτροςG4074Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularcameπροσελθὼνG4334Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularto [Jesus]αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-«ὁG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singular[and] askedεἶπεν»G2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularLordΚύριεG2962Noun - Vocative Masculine Singularhow many timesποσάκιςG4212Adverb-καὶG2532Conjunctionshall I forgiveἀφήσωG863Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular-αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularmyἐμὲG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularbrotherἀδελφόςG80Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwho sinsἁμαρτήσειG264Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularagainstεἰςG1519PrepositionmeμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person SingularUp toἕωςG2193Prepositionseven timesἑπτάκιςG2034Adverb
Verse 22

Original words

-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularansweredΛέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouσοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person SingularnotΟὐG3756AdverbjustἕωςG2193Prepositionseven timesἑπτάκιςG2034AdverbbutἀλλὰG235Conjunction-ἕωςG2193Prepositionseventy-seven timesἑβδομηκοντάκιςG1441Adverb. . .ἑπτάG2033Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural

BSB notes

  • Or seventy times seven; see Genesis 4:24 LXX
Verse 23

Original words

Because ofΔιὰG1223PrepositionthisτοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularkingdomβασιλείαG932Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularofτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralheavenοὐρανῶνG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine Pluralis likeὡμοιώθηG3666Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular-ἀνθρώπῳG444Noun - Dative Masculine Singulara kingβασιλεῖG935Noun - Dative Masculine SingularwhoὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularwantedἠθέλησενG2309Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto settleσυνᾶραιG4868Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveaccountsλόγονG3056Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularwithμετὰG3326PrepositionhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralservantsδούλωνG1401Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 24

Original words

AsδὲG1161ConjunctionheαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularbeganἀρξαμένουG756Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Genitive Masculine Singularthe settlementsσυναίρεινG4868Verb - Present Infinitive ActiveaεἷςG1520Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingulardebtorὀφειλέτηςG3781Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularowing ten thousandμυρίωνG3463Adjective - Genitive Neuter PluraltalentsταλάντωνG5007Noun - Genitive Neuter Pluralwas broughtπροσηνέχθη*G4374Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singularto himαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • A talent was worth about twenty years’ wages for a laborer.
Verse 25

Original words

SinceδὲG1161Conjunction[the man]αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularvvvμὴG3361Adverbwas unableἔχοντοςG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singularto payἀποδοῦναιG591Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivetheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmasterκύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularordered thatἐκέλευσενG2753Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularheαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singularbe soldπραθῆναιG4097Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive-καὶG2532Conjunctionto pay [his] debtἀποδοθῆναιG591Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passivealong withκαὶG2532Conjunction[his]τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularwifeγυναῖκαG1135Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralchildrenτέκναG5043Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctioneverythingπάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural-ὅσαG3745Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Pluralhe ownedἔχειG2192Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 26

Original words

ThenοὖνG3767ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularservantδοῦλοςG1401Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularfellΠεσὼνG4098Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularon his kneesπροσεκύνειG4352Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularbefore himαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularHave patienceΜακροθύμησονG3114Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singularwithἐπ’G1909PrepositionmeἐμοίG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singularhe beggedλέγωνG3004Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionI will payἀποδώσωG591Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularbackσοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person SingulareverythingπάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Verse 27

Original words

-δὲG1161Conjunction[His]G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmasterκύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular-ἐκείνουG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singular-δούλουG1401Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularhad compassion [on him]ΣπλαγχνισθεὶςG4697Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular-καὶG2532ConjunctionforgaveἀφῆκενG863Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhisαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingulardebtδάνειονG1156Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular[and] releasedἀπέλυσενG630Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhimαὐτόνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 28

Original words

But whenδὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularthatἐκεῖνοςG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularservantδοῦλοςG1401Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwent outἘξελθὼνG1831Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularhe foundεὗρενG2147Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularoneἕναG1520Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singularof hisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Pluralfellow servantsσυνδούλωνG4889Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralwhoὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularowedὤφειλενG3784Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singulara hundredἑκατὸνG1540Adjective - Accusative Neuter PluraldenariiδηνάριαG1220Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionHe grabbedκρατήσαςG2902Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularhimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singularand began to choke [him]ἔπνιγενG4155Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularsayingλέγωνG3004Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularPayἈπόδοςG591Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularbackεἴG1487ConjunctionwhatτιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularyou owe [me]ὀφείλειςG3784Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.
Verse 29

Original words

SoοὖνG3767ConjunctionhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularfellow servantσύνδουλοςG4889Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularfell downΠεσὼνG4098Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[and] beggedπαρεκάλειG3870Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-λέγωνG3004Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularHave patienceΜακροθύμησονG3114Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singularwithἐπ’G1909PrepositionmeἐμοίG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionI will payἀποδώσωG591Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularyou {back}σοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Verse 30

Original words

ButδὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularvvvοὐκG3756Adverbhe refusedἤθελενG2309Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularInsteadἀλλὰG235Conjunctionhe wentἀπελθὼνG565Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[and] had [the man] thrownἔβαλενG906Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularintoεἰςG1519PrepositionprisonφυλακὴνG5438Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularuntilἕωςG2193Conjunction. . .οὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singularhe could payἀποδῷG591Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular[his]τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingulardebtὀφειλόμενονG3784Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 31

Original words

[When]οὖνG3767ConjunctionhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Pluralfellow servantsσύνδουλοιG4889Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralsawἸδόντεςG3708Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralwhatτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Pluralhad happenedγενόμεναG1096Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Neuter PluralvvvσφόδραG4970Adverbthey were greatly distressedἐλυπήθησανG3076Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunctionthey wentἐλθόντεςG2064Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural[and] recountedδιεσάφησανG1285Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralallπάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Plural[of this]γενόμεναG1096Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Neuter PluraltoτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingulartheirἑαυτῶνG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person PluralmasterκυρίῳG2962Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 32

Original words

ThenΤότεG5119Adverb-αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmasterκύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularsummonedπροσκαλεσάμενοςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingularhimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular[and] saidλέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular[You] wickedπονηρέG4190Adjective - Vocative Masculine SingularservantΔοῦλεG1401Noun - Vocative Masculine SingularI forgaveἀφῆκάG863Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular-σοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person SingularallπᾶσανG3956Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular[your]ἐκείνηνG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingulardebtὀφειλὴνG3782Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularbecauseἐπεὶG1893Conjunctionyou beggedπαρεκάλεσάςG3870Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularmeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Verse 33

Original words

Shouldn’tἔδειG1163Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .οὐκG3756AdverbyouσὲG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctionhave had mercyἐλεῆσαιG1653Verb - Aorist Infinitive Activeon yourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singularfellow servantσύνδουλόνG4889Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularjust asὡςG5613AdverbIκἀγὼG2504Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular[had]ἠλέησαG1653Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularon youσὲG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular
Verse 34

Original words

-καὶG2532ConjunctionIn angerὀργισθεὶςG3710Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine SingularhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmasterκύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularturned him overπαρέδωκενG3860Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singularto theτοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine Pluraljailers to be torturedβασανισταῖςG930Noun - Dative Masculine PluraluntilἕωςG2193Preposition-οὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singularhe should repayἀποδῷG591Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularallπᾶνG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularthatτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Singularhe owedὀφειλόμενονG3784Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular-〈αὐτῷ〉G846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 35

Original words

That is howΟὕτωςG3779Adverb-καὶG2532ConjunctionMyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularheavenlyοὐράνιοςG3770Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularFatherΠατήρG3962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwill treatποιήσειG4160Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singulareach ofἕκαστοςG1538Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralunlessἐὰνG1437Conjunction. . .μὴG3361Adverbyou forgiveἀφῆτεG863Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural[your]αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularbrotherἀδελφῷG80Noun - Dative Masculine SingularfromἀπὸG575PrepositionyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Feminine PluralheartκαρδιῶνG2588Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.