Matthew 18:25
23 Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents.
Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.
26 Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’
27 His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.
- KJV
- But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- But forasmuch as he had not [wherewith] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
- DARBY
- But he not having anything to pay, [his] lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.
- BLB
- And [on] his having nothing to repay, the master commanded him to be sold—and the wife and the children and all of whatever he had—and repayment to be made.
- ÅB
- Men da han ikke hadde noe å betale med, befalte herren hans at han skulle selges, han og hans kone og barn og alt det han hadde, til betaling for gjelden.
- OTB
- Siden han ikke kunne betale, befalte herren at han, hans kone, hans barn og alt han hadde skulle selges for å betale gjelden.
- B1930
- Men da han ikke hadde noget å betale med, bød hans herre at han skulde selges, han og hans hustru og barn og alt det han hadde, og at der skulde betales.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Nehemiah 5:5
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
Read in context2 Kings 4:1
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
Read in contextLuke 7:42
When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”
Read in contextLeviticus 25:39
If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.
Read in contextNehemiah 5:8
and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
Read in contextIsaiah 50:1
This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
Read in contextExodus 21:2
If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.
Read in context