His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.
Parallel translations
- KJV And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
- BSB In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.
- NKJV And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
- NASB And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed him.
- NLT Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
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
In anger the king hands the unmerciful servant to the jailers until he pays all. Refusing to forgive invites severe judgment.
Overview
The king's wrath and the handing over to 'tormentors' depict the seriousness of divine judgment against unforgiveness. Since the debt was unpayable, the sentence is effectively without end. The image warns that a persistently unforgiving heart shows it has not truly received God's mercy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Jas 2:13For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Matt 5:25–26Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
- Luke 12:58–59For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
- 2 Th 1:8–9giving vengeance to those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,
- Matt 18:30He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.
- Rev 14:10–11he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.
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 18:34 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.