My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
Parallel translations
- WEB So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
- KJV So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
- BSB That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
- NKJV “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
- NLT “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
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
Jesus applies the parable: the Father will likewise judge those who do not forgive their brothers from the heart. Heartfelt forgiveness is the necessary fruit of having been forgiven.
Overview
The warning is sobering yet consistent with grace: those who refuse to forgive show they have not grasped or received God's forgiveness. Genuine, heartfelt mercy toward others is the evidence and outflow of saving grace (compare Matthew 6:14-15). The parable thus binds our forgiveness of others to the immense forgiveness we have in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 6:14–15“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- Jas 2:13For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Luke 6:37–38Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.
- Mark 11:25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
- Matt 6:12Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
- Prov 21:2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.
- Prov 21:13Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
- Matt 7:1–2“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.
- Luke 16:15He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Rev 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
- Zech 7:12Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law, and the words which Yahweh of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of Armies.
- Jas 4:8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Jas 3:14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth.
- Jer 3:10Yet for all this her treacherous sister, Judah, has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense,” says Yahweh.
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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 18:35 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.