Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Matthew 18:23-35

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Biblical Text

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.'

But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'"

— Matthew 18:23-33 (NIV)

Context

Jesus told this parable in response to Peter's question about how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him. It illustrates Jesus' teaching that we should forgive others as God has forgiven us.

Theological Interpretation

This parable powerfully illustrates the vast difference between God's forgiveness of us and our reluctance to forgive others. The contrast between the enormous debt forgiven and the small debt withheld emphasizes the magnitude of God's mercy and the unreasonableness of withholding forgiveness from others.