“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’
Parallel translations
- KJV And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
- BSB So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’
- ESV So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
- NKJV So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
- NASB So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’
- NLT “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The second servant pleads in the very same words the first had used, asking for patience. His identical plea highlights the first servant's hypocrisy.
Overview
Mirroring the earlier scene, the fellow servant falls down and begs for patience to repay. The echo of the first servant's own words makes the coming refusal all the more damning. It underscores that the forgiven servant is denying to another exactly what he himself received.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Matt 6:12Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
- Matt 18:26The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
- Phlm 1:18–19But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 18:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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