The Unforgiving Servant

Peter came to Jesus with a question. How many times should he forgive a brother who sinned against him? Would seven times be enough? Jesus answered that forgiveness was not to stop at seven, but at seventy times seven. Then he told a parable about the kingdom of heaven.

In the parable, a king began settling accounts with his servants. One servant was brought in who owed an enormous debt, ten thousand talents. He could not pay. So the king ordered that the servant, his wife, his children, and all he had should be sold, and payment made.

The servant fell down before the king and begged for patience, promising to repay everything. But the king did more than give extra time. Moved with compassion, he released the servant and forgave the whole debt. The servant walked away having received great mercy.

But then that same servant found a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii, a much smaller debt. He grabbed him and demanded payment. The fellow servant fell down and begged for patience, promising to repay. The first servant refused and had him thrown into prison until the debt was paid.

Other servants were deeply upset when they saw what happened, so they reported it to their lord. The king called the man back and said he was wicked: he had been shown mercy, and should have shown mercy too. Angry, the king handed him over to the tormentors until his debt was paid. Jesus said his heavenly Father would do likewise if his disciples did not forgive from their hearts.