The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (MAT 18:21-35)

[18:21] Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?”

[18:22] “No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven,

[18:23] because the Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who decided to check on his servants' accounts.

[18:24] He had just begun to do so when one of them was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.

[18:25] The servant did not have enough to pay his debt, so the king ordered him to be sold as a slave, with his wife and his children and all that he had, in order to pay the debt.

[18:26] The servant fell on his knees before the king. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay you everything!’

[18:27] The king felt sorry for him, so he forgave him the debt and let him go.

[18:28] “Then the man went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and started choking him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he said.

[18:29] His fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back!’

[18:30] But he refused; instead, he had him thrown into jail until he should pay the debt.

[18:31] When the other servants saw what had happened, they were very upset and went to the king and told him everything.

[18:32] So he called the servant in. ‘You worthless slave!’ he said. ‘I forgave you the whole amount you owed me, just because you asked me to.

[18:33] You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you.’

[18:34] The king was very angry, and he sent the servant to jail to be punished until he should pay back the whole amount.”

[18:35] And Jesus concluded, “That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

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