Forgiveness

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

22 Jesus * 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 1ten thousand talents 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 “So the slave fell to the ground and aprostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

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

28 “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a 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 began to plead 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 1your heart.”