Matthew 18:23

Matthew 18:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
• New International Version (NIV)“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

Context of Matthew 18:23

21Then Peter came to talk to Jesus. He asked, ‘Lord, if my friend does wrong things against me many times, how many times should I forgive him? Must I forgive him as many as seven times for the wrong things that he has done against me?’ 22Jesus replied, ‘I do not say only seven times. I say you should forgive him 77 times!’ Jesus then said, ‘I will tell you a story to show what the kingdom of heaven is like. A king wanted to check how much money his servants should give to him because of their debts. 24So the king began to check. His men led a servant to him who had a big debt. He must pay back 10,000 gold coins to the king. 25The servant could not pay his big debt to the king. So the king said to his men, “Sell the servant and his wife and his children and all his things. Then I will keep the money to pay his debt.”

Matthew 18:23 word by word

Διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Thereforeοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• isὁμοιόωhomoioō · to likenG3666
• the kingdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• unto a certainἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• takeσυναίρωsunairō · to settle accountsG4868
• accountλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• ofμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401

Cross-references for Matthew 18:23

• Matthew 3:2He told people, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Do this now, because the kingdom of heaven has come very near.’
• Matthew 13:24Then Jesus told the people another story. He said, ‘This is what the kingdom of heaven is like: A farmer planted some good wheat seeds into his field.
• Matthew 25:1Jesus said, ‘I will tell you another story to show what the kingdom of heaven is like. There were ten young women who were going to a marriage party. They took their lamps with them and they went to meet the man who was marrying a wife.
• Matthew 25:19After a long time, the master came home. He asked the servants to come to him. He wanted to know how much money they had now.
• Luke 16:1Jesus told another story to his disciples: ‘A rich man had a servant who worked for him. The servant took care of the money and things that belonged to the man. Then some people told the rich man that his servant was wasting his master's things.
• Luke 19:12Jesus said to them, ‘An important man left his home and he travelled a long way to another country. There he would receive authority to rule his own country. After that, he would return home and he would be king.
• Romans 14:12So each of us will have to explain to God about the things that we have done.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5So you should not decide about things before the time is right. Wait until the Lord comes again. He will show everything clearly. He will show the bad things that people have done secretly. He will show the secret purpose of people's thoughts. Then God will praise each person in a way that is right for them.
• 2 Corinthians 5:10Because all of us must go and stand in front of Christ as our judge. He will decide about the things that we have done during our lives here on earth. Whether we have done good things or bad things, we will receive what is right for us.

Commentaries on Matthew 18:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Therefore is the kingdom - In respect to sin, cruelty, and oppression, God will proceed in the kingdom of heaven (the dispensation of the Gospel) as he did in former times; and every person shall give an account of himself to God. Every sin is a debt contracted with the justice of God; men are all God's own servants; and the day is at hand in which their Master will settle accounts with them, inquire into their work, and pay them their wages. Great Judge!…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened … - The phrase, “the kingdom of heaven,” here has reference to the church, or to the way in which God will deal with his people. “It shall be in my church as it was with a certain king; or God will deal with the members of his church as a certain king did with his servants.” See the notes at Matthew 3:2. This parable (see Matthew 13:3) is related to show the duty of forgiving others. It is not necessary to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-35Verses 21-35 Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable: 1. The master's wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin, to be sold as a slave. It is the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-35Peter thought forgiving seven times was generous, but Jesus surprised him. A disciple should graciously forgive like God does, without limits and freely (see Matthew 18:10–14). If someone does not forgive in this way, it shows they have not experienced God's forgiveness for themselves (18:35; see 6:12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Therefore--"with reference to this matter." is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants--or, would scrutinize the accounts of his revenue collectors.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 18:23

• Charitableness
• Creditor
• Debtor
• Forgiveness
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Gain
• Owe
• Patience
• Debt; Debtor
• Forgiveness
• Intercession
• Jesus Christ
• Latin
• Matthew, the Gospel of
• Mercy; Merciful

Commentaries on Matthew 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings