The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant |
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Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Then Peter came and
said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I
forgive him? Until seven times?"
Jesus said to him,
"I don't tell you until seven times, but, until
seventy times seven. Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven
is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his
servants. When he had
begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten
thousand talents. But because he couldn't pay, his
lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that
he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down
and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will
repay you all!' The lord
of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave
him the debt.
"But that servant went out,
and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one
hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat,
saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
"So his fellow servant fell
down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I
will repay you!' He
would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back
that which was due. So
when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry,
and came and told to their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him in, and
said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you
begged me. Shouldn't you
also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'
His lord was angry, and
delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to
him. So my heavenly
Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from
your hearts for his misdeeds."