New Living Translation
Matthew 18:23
23“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.
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 him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
Read all of Matthew 18Matthew 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 3:2“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
- Matthew 13:24Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
- Matthew 25:1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
- Matthew 25:19“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.
- Luke 16:1Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money.
- Luke 19:12He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.
- Romans 14:12Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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