Matthew 18:28
New International Version
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

New Living Translation
“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

English Standard Version
But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

Berean Standard Bible
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

Berean Literal Bible
But the same servant having gone out, found one of his fellow servants who was owing him a hundred denarii, and having seized him, he was throttling him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'

King James Bible
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

New King James Version
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

New American Standard Bible
But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’

NASB 1995
“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

NASB 1977
“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

Legacy Standard Bible
But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

Amplified Bible
But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’

Christian Standard Bible
“That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe! ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, Pay what you owe!’

American Standard Version
But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.

Contemporary English Version
But as this official was leaving, he happened to meet another official, who owed him 100 silver coins. So he grabbed the man by the throat. He started choking him and said, "Pay me what you owe!"

English Revised Version
But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But when that servant went away, he found a servant who owed him hundreds of dollars. He grabbed the servant he found and began to choke him. 'Pay what you owe!' he said.

Good News Translation
"Then the man went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and started choking him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he said.

International Standard Version
"But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, 'Pay what you owe!'

Majority Standard Bible
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

NET Bible
After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe me!'

New Heart English Bible
"But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'

Webster's Bible Translation
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.

Weymouth New Testament
But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "'Pay me all you owe.'

World English Bible
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him one hundred denarii, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which you owe.

Berean Literal Bible
But the same servant having gone out, found one of his fellow servants who was owing him a hundred denarii, and having seized him, he was throttling him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'

Young's Literal Translation
'And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.

Smith's Literal Translation
But that servant having come, found one of his fellow-servants who owed him one hundred drachmas, and having seized, he choked him, saying, Give back to me what thou owest.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But when that servant departed, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarius. And taking hold of him, he choked him, saying: ‘Repay what you owe.’

New American Bible
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

New Revised Standard Version
But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him one hundred cents; and he seized him, and tried to choke him, saying to him, Give me what you owe me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But that servant went out and found one of his associates who had owed him a hundred denarii, and he seized him and throttled him, and he said to him, “Give me that which you owe me.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hold of him, and took him by the throat, saying: Pay me what you owe.

Godbey New Testament
And that servant having gone out, found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him one hundred denaria: seized him, throttled him, saying, Pay me what you owe me.

Haweis New Testament
But that servant going out, found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing, throttled him, saying, Pay me what thou owest.

Mace New Testament
but this very servant presently after met with one of his fellow-servants, who owed him an hundred pence: and violently seizing him, said, pay me the debt.

Weymouth New Testament
But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "'Pay me all you owe.'

Worrell New Testament
But, going forth, that servant found one of his fellow-servants, who was owing him a hundred denaries; and, having laid hold of him, he was choking him, saying, 'Pay, if you are owing anything!'

Worsley New Testament
But that same servant, as he was going out, met with one of his fellow-servants, who owed him but an hundred pence; and he laid hold on him and seized him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest me:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Unforgiving Servant
27His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him. 28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 29So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’…

Cross References
Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Luke 7:41-43
“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. / When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?” / “I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Luke 17:3-4
Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. / Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.

Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.

Genesis 50:17
‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

Exodus 21:2
If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.

Deuteronomy 15:1-2
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. / This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

Nehemiah 5:7-12
and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them / and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say. / So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies? ...

Psalm 37:21
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.

Psalm 103:10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities.


Treasury of Scripture

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that you owe.

an hundred.

Matthew 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

pence.

Matthew 20:2
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

and took.

Deuteronomy 15:2
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD'S release.

Nehemiah 5:7,10,11
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them…

Nehemiah 10:31
And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

Jump to Previous
Bondman Debt Demanded Denarii Exclaimed Fellow Fellow-Bondmen Fellowservants Fellow-Servants Found Grabbed Hands Hold Hundred Meeting Met Nearly Owe Owed Owest Pay Payment Pence Seized Seizing Servant Servants Shillings Slave Sooner Strangling Throat
Jump to Next
Bondman Debt Demanded Denarii Exclaimed Fellow Fellow-Bondmen Fellowservants Fellow-Servants Found Grabbed Hands Hold Hundred Meeting Met Nearly Owe Owed Owest Pay Payment Pence Seized Seizing Servant Servants Shillings Slave Sooner Strangling Throat
Matthew 18
1. Jesus warns his disciples to be humble and harmless,
7. to avoid offenses,
10. and not to despise the little ones;
15. teaches how we are to deal with our brothers when they offend us,
21. and how often to forgive them;
23. which he sets forth by a parable of the king who took account of his servants,
32. and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellow servant.














But when that servant went out
This phrase marks a transition from the previous scene where the servant had just been forgiven a massive debt by his master. The Greek word for "servant" here is "δοῦλος" (doulos), which implies a bondservant or slave, indicating a position of subservience and obligation. The phrase "went out" suggests a departure from the presence of grace and mercy, symbolizing a return to worldly concerns and self-interest.

he found one of his fellow servants
The term "fellow servants" translates from the Greek "σύνδουλος" (syndoulos), meaning a co-slave or fellow bondservant. This highlights the equality and shared status among the servants, emphasizing the expectation of mutual compassion and understanding. The historical context of servitude in the Roman Empire underscores the commonality of their plight and the moral obligation to extend the same mercy received.

who owed him a hundred denarii
A "denarius" was a day's wage for a laborer, making a hundred denarii a significant but manageable debt. This contrasts sharply with the enormous debt the first servant was forgiven, illustrating the disparity between divine forgiveness and human pettiness. The historical context of currency and labor in ancient Judea provides insight into the relative value of the debt, underscoring the servant's lack of mercy.

He grabbed him and began to choke him
The physical aggression described here, "grabbed" and "choke," reflects an extreme and violent response. The Greek word "πνίγω" (pnigo) for "choke" conveys a sense of strangling or suffocating, symbolizing the oppressive nature of unforgiveness. This action starkly contrasts with the mercy shown by the master, highlighting the servant's failure to internalize the grace he received.

saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’
The demand "Pay back what you owe me" reveals a heart hardened by greed and self-righteousness. The Greek "ἀπόδος" (apodos) for "pay back" is an imperative, indicating a command rather than a request. This insistence on justice over mercy reflects a legalistic mindset, ignoring the transformative power of forgiveness. Theologically, it serves as a caution against the dangers of hypocrisy and the failure to emulate divine compassion.

(28) Which owed him an hundred pence.--Here the calculation is simpler than in Matthew 18:24. The "hundred pence" are a hundred Roman denarii (the denarius being equal to sevenpence-halfpenny), a hundred days' wages of the labourer and soldier, enough to provide a meal for 2,500 men (John 6:7). There is a considerable truthfulness in the choice of such a sum, which has, perhaps, been too little noticed. Had our Lord been seeking simply a rhetorical antithesis between the infinitely great and the infinitely little, it would have been easy to select some small coin, like the denarius, the as, or the quadrans, as the amount of the fellow-servant's debt. But to the fishermen of Galilee the "hundred pence" would appear a really considerable sum, and when they came to interpret the parable they would thus be led to feel that it recognised that the offences which men commit against their brothers may, in themselves, be many and grievous enough. It is only when compared with their sins against God that they sink into absolute insignificance.

He laid hands on him.--We are shocked, and are meant to be shocked, by the brutal outrage with which the creditor enforces his claim, but it doubtless was but too faithful a picture of what the disciples had often witnessed, or, it may be, even practised. We are tempted to ask whether this really represents any phenomena of the spiritual life. Can a man who has really been justified and pardoned become thus merciless? The experience of every age, almost of every household, shows that the inconsistency is but too fatally common. The man is not consciously a hypocrite, but he is as yet "double minded" (James 1:8), and the baser self is not conquered. In the language of the later teaching of the New Testament the man's faith is not one which "worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6). He is justified, but not as yet sanctified.

Verse 28. - Went out - straightway from his lord's presence, where he had been so mercifully treated, while the remembrance of his free and undeserved forgiveness must have been still fresh. Found. Lighted upon by chance, as it were. Here, rather, was providentially offered an opportunity of showing that his lord's goodness was not thrown away, but had entered his heart and controlled his conduct towards others. One of his fellow servants. An official of the king, but probably in an inferior position to that which he himself occupied. Seeing this man, he is reminded of a paltry debt which this person owed him. He remembers this fact; he forgets his late experience. An hundred pence (denarii; see on Matthew 20:2); equivalent to some £3 of our money, and a sum not a millionth part of his own debt to his master; the proportion, as some say, may be stated more accurately as 1 to 1,250,000. The enormous difference between these two amounts represents the disproportion between the offences of our neighbours against us and those of which we are guilty towards God; and how small is the forgiveness on our side compared with that which God freely accords to our infinite debt to him! We must consider also the parties to whom these debts are owing - on one side, the worm man; on the other, Almighty God. Took him by the throat (ἔπνιγε); was throttling him. Thus precluding all prayer and remonstrance. Such brutal treatment was not what he himself had experienced. Pay me that thou owest; ὅτι ὀφείλεις: quod debes. Many manuscripts and late editors (e.g., Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorf, Alford, Westcott and Hort) soften the demand by reading εἴ τι ὀφείλεις, si quid debes, "if thou owest aught," as though the creditor were ashamed of mentioning the paltry sum due; or else it is simply a fashion of speaking, not to be pressed as if any doubt was intimated concerning the debt. It might almost be rendered, "Pay, since thou owest something." Not thus had his lord addressed him in the first instance.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But when
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

that
ἐκεῖνος (ekeinos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

servant
δοῦλος (doulos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave.

went out,
Ἐξελθὼν (Exelthōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

he found
εὗρεν (heuren)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

one
ἕνα (hena)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

of his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

fellow servants
συνδούλων (syndoulōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4889: From sun and doulos; a co-slave, i.e. Servitor or ministrant of the same master.

who
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

owed
ὤφειλεν (ōpheilen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3784: Or, its prolonged form opheileo probably from the base of ophelos; to owe; figuratively, to be under obligation; morally, to fail in duty.

him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

a hundred
ἑκατὸν (hekaton)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1540: One hundred. Of uncertain affinity; a hundred.

denarii.
δηνάρια (dēnaria)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1220: A denarius, a small Roman silver coin. Of Latin origin; a denarius.

He grabbed
κρατήσας (kratēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2902: From kratos; to use strength, i.e. Seize or retain.

him
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

and began to choke [him],
ἔπνιγεν (epnigen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4155: To choke, throttle, strangle; hence: I drown. Strengthened from pneo; to wheeze, i.e. to throttle or strangle.

saying,
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

‘Pay
Ἀπόδος (Apodos)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 591: From apo and didomi; to give away, i.e. Up, over, back, etc.

back
εἴ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

what
τι (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

you owe [me].’
ὀφείλεις (opheileis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3784: Or, its prolonged form opheileo probably from the base of ophelos; to owe; figuratively, to be under obligation; morally, to fail in duty.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 18:28 But that servant went out and found (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 18:27
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