6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves 2 have forgiven our debtors.
6:14 “For if you forgive others 3 their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.
18:21 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother 4 who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! 5
18:23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 6 18:24 As 7 he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents 8 was brought to him. 18:25 Because 9 he was not able to repay it, 10 the lord ordered him to be sold, along with 11 his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. 18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground 12 before him, saying, 13 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ 18:27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. 18:28 After 14 he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. 15 So 16 he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, 17 saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 18 18:29 Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 19 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. 18:31 When 20 his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. 18:32 Then his lord called the first slave 21 and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! 18:33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ 18:34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him 22 until he repaid all he owed. 18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your 23 brother 24 from your heart.”
6:37 “Do 32 not judge, 33 and you will not be judged; 34 do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, 35 and you will be forgiven.
11:4 and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins 36 against us.
And do not lead us into temptation.” 37
1 tc Most
2 tn Or “as even we.” The phrase ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς (Jw" kai Jhmei") makes ἡμεῖς emphatic. The translation above adds an appropriate emphasis to the passage.
3 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense: “people, others.”
4 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
5 tn Or “seventy times seven,” i.e., an unlimited number of times. See L&N 60.74 and 60.77 for the two possible translations of the phrase.
6 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
8 sn A talent was a huge sum of money, equal to 6,000 denarii. One denarius was the usual day’s wage for a worker. L&N 6.82 states, “a Greek monetary unit (also a unit of weight) with a value which fluctuated, depending upon the particular monetary system which prevailed at a particular period of time (a silver talent was worth approximately six thousand denarii with gold talents worth at least thirty times that much).”
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
11 tn Grk “and his wife.”
12 tn Grk “falling therefore the slave bowed down to the ground.” The redundancy of this expression signals the desperation of the slave in begging for mercy.
13 tc The majority of
14 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
15 tn Grk “one hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer; this would be about three month’s pay.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so.” A new sentence was started at this point in the translation in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
17 tn Grk “and he grabbed him and started choking him.”
18 tn The word “me” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
19 tn Grk “begged him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
20 tn Grk “Therefore when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
21 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the first slave mentioned in v. 24) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 tn Grk “handed him over to the torturers,” referring specifically to guards whose job was to torture prisoners who were being questioned. According to L&N 37.126, it is difficult to know for certain in this instance whether the term actually envisions torture as a part of the punishment or is simply a hyperbole. However, in light of the following verse and Jesus’ other warning statements in Matthew about “fiery hell,” “the outer darkness,” etc., it is best not to dismiss this as mere imagery.
23 tn Grk “his.” The pronoun has been translated to follow English idiom (the last pronoun of the verse [“from your heart”] is second person plural in the original).
24 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
25 tn Although the Greek subjunctive mood, formally required in a subordinate clause introduced by ἵνα ({ina), is traditionally translated by an English subjunctive (e.g., “may,” so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), changes in the use of the subjunctive in English now result in most readers understanding such a statement as indicating permission (“may” = “has permission to”) or as indicating uncertainty (“may” = “might” or “may or may not”). Thus a number of more recent translations render such instances by an English future tense (“will,” so TEV, CEV, NLT, NASB 1995 update). That approach has been followed here.
26 tn Or “in return.”
27 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
28 sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.
29 sn That is, “sons of God.”
30 tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
31 sn Merciful is a characteristic of God often noted in the OT: Exod 34:6; Deut 4:31; Joel 2:31; Jonah 4:2; 2 Sam 24:14. This remark also echoes the more common OT statements like Lev 19:2 or Deut 18:13: “you must be holy as I am holy.”
32 tn Grk “And do.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
33 sn As the Gospel makes clear, with the statement do not judge Jesus had in mind making a judgment that caused one to cut oneself off from someone so that they ceased to be reached out to (5:27-32; 15:1-32). Jesus himself did make judgments about where people stand (11:37-54), but not in such a way that he ceased to continue to offer them God’s grace.
34 sn The point of the statement do not judge, and you will not be judged is that the standards one applies to others God applies back. The passive verbs in this verse look to God’s action.
35 sn On forgive see Luke 11:4; 1 Pet 3:7.
36 tn Grk “who is indebted to us” (an idiom). The picture of sin as debt is not unusual. As for forgiveness offered and forgiveness given, see 1 Pet 3:7.
37 tc Most
38 tn It is difficult to know if this looks back or forward or both. The warning suggests it looks back. For this verb, see Luke 8:18; 12:1, 15; 20:46; 21:8, 34. The present imperative reflects an ongoing spirit of watchfulness.
39 tn Both the “if” clause in this verse and the “if” clause in v. 4 are third class conditions in Greek.
40 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a, contra BDAG 19 s.v. 2.c), but with a familial connotation. It refers equally to men, women, or children. However, because of the familial connotations, “brother” has been retained in the translation here in preference to the more generic “fellow believer” (“fellow Christian” would be anachronistic in this context).
41 tn Grk “And if.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
42 sn You must forgive him. Forgiveness is to be readily given and not withheld. In a community that is to have restored relationships, grudges are not beneficial.
43 tc Many important
44 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
45 tn Grk “cast lots” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent “threw dice” was chosen here because of its association with gambling.
46 sn An allusion to Ps 22:18, which identifies Jesus as the suffering innocent one.
47 tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.