The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Matthew 18

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? _w Up to seven times?" ²² Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, _x up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

²³ "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ "But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded _y that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ "The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' ²⁷ "Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' ²⁹ "So his fellow servant fell down ₁ at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you ₂ all.' ³⁰ "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you _z all that debt because you begged me. ³³ 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' ³⁴ "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. ³⁵ _a "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother ₃ his trespasses."

1. Cross References
   Luke 17:4
   "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."
   
2. Cross References
   Matthew 6:14
   For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
   Mark 11:25
   And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
   Colossians 3:13
   Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
   
3. Cross References
   Exodus 21:2
   If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.
   Leviticus 25:39
   And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave.
   2 Kings 4:1
   A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.
   Nehemiah 5:5
   "Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards."
   Nehemiah 5:8
   And I said to them, "According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?" Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.
   
4. Cross References
   Luke 7:41 - 43
   There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
   
5. Cross References
   Proverbs 21:13
   Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.
   Matthew 6:12
   And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
   Mark 11:26
   "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
   James 2:13
   For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.