Matthew 18:21–35

Forgiveness

²¹Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, ^ahow often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to ^bseven times?”

²²Jesus ^*said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to ^aseventy times seven.

²³“For this reason ^athe kingdom of heaven ¹may be compared to a king who wished to ^bsettle accounts with his slaves.

²⁴“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand ¹talents was brought to him.

²⁵“But since he ^1adid not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him ^bto be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.

²⁶“Therefore, the slave fell to the ground and ^awas prostrating himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

²⁷“And feeling compassion, the lord of that slave released him and ^aforgave him the ¹debt.

²⁸“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred ¹denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

²⁹“So, his fellow slave fell to the ground and was pleading with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’

³⁰“But he was unwilling ¹and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

³¹“So, when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.

³²“Then summoning him, his lord ^*said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

³³‘^aShould you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

³⁴“And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

³⁵“^aMy heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.”