Thursday Morning Scripture – Matthew 18:21-35

Forgiveness

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.

²³ “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

²⁴ When he began the accounting, one who owed him 10,000 ^[1]talents was brought to him.

²⁵ But because he could not repay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.

²⁶ So the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

²⁷ And his master’s heart was moved with compassion and he released him and forgave him [canceling] the debt.

²⁸ But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him ^[2]a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’

²⁹ So his fellow slave fell on his knees and begged him earnestly, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’

³⁰ But he was unwilling and he went and had him thrown in prison until he paid back the debt.

³¹ When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and they went and reported to their master [with clarity and in detail] everything that had taken place.

³² Then his master called him and said to him, ‘You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me.

³³ Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave [who owed you little by comparison], as I had mercy on you?’

³⁴ And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (jailers) until he paid all that he owed.

³⁵ My heavenly Father will also do the same to [every one of] you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21-35 (AMP)

Footnotes

1. Matthew 18:24 A talent was a measurement of weight, usually 58-80 pounds. One talent of silver was worth more than 15 years’ wages. One talent of gold was worth even more. 10,000 talents would be an inconceivable amount of debt for a slave in the king’s service to repay.
2. Matthew 18:28 About 100 days’ wages for a laborer.