Matthew 18 26

Matthew 18:26 kjv

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Matthew 18:26 nkjv

The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

Matthew 18:26 niv

"At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'

Matthew 18:26 esv

So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'

Matthew 18:26 nlt

"But the man fell down before his master and begged him, 'Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.'

Matthew 18 verses

Matthew 18 26 Meaning

Matthew 18:26 describes the servant's immediate reaction upon being called to account for his massive debt. He falls to his knees in desperate humility and reverence before the king, pleading for more time and patience, promising to repay the unfathomable sum. This act of prostration acknowledges the king's absolute authority and power over his life, while the promise of repayment, though well-intentioned or born of desperation, highlights the human inability to settle such a debt.

Matthew 18 26 Context

Matthew 18:26 is found within the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35), which Jesus tells in response to Peter's question about the limit of forgiveness. The chapter itself focuses on discipleship in the Kingdom of Heaven, addressing themes of humility, caring for "little ones," dealing with straying brothers, and the necessity of reconciliation and forgiveness within the community. The parable illustrates the boundless nature of divine forgiveness and the expectation that recipients of such mercy should, in turn, extend it to others. Culturally, debt slavery was a harsh reality in the ancient world, and a debt of 10,000 talents was an impossibly colossal sum (equivalent to hundreds of millions of modern dollars, or many centuries of an average laborer's wage), underscoring the king's immeasurable generosity and the servant's complete insolvency.

Matthew 18 26 Word analysis

• The servant (ὁ δοῦλος - ho doulos): Literally "the slave" or "bondservant." This term signifies one completely subject to another, possessing no rights or personal resources. It highlights his utter dependence and the king's absolute authority over him, reflecting humanity's position before God.

• therefore (οὖν - oun): A connective particle indicating a consequence or logical progression. It links the king's demand for payment (and the threat of selling the servant, his family, and all his possessions) directly to the servant's ensuing actions.

• fell down (προσεπεσών - prosepesōn): From prospiptō, meaning "to fall forward upon," "to prostrate oneself." This indicates an act of profound humility, submission, desperation, and earnest pleading, typically performed before a superior or powerful figure.

• and worshipped him (προσεκύνει αὐτόν - prosekunei auton): From proskyneō, meaning "to prostrate oneself, to do homage, to venerate." In this context before an earthly king, it signifies an act of deep respect, submission, and obeisance, acknowledging the king's supreme authority, not necessarily divine worship. It conveys extreme humility and earnest appeal for favor.

• saying (λέγων - legōn): Introduces the servant's desperate verbal plea, accompanying his physical act of submission.

• Lord (κύριε - kyrie): A respectful title meaning "master," "sir," or "lord." It acknowledges the king's superior status and authority over the servant, as well as the servant's complete submission and appeal to his master's power.

• have patience with me (μακροθύμησον ἐπ’ ἐμοὶ - makrothymēson ep' emoi): From makrothymeō, meaning "to be long-tempered," "to be patient," "to forbear." This is a desperate plea for the king to delay immediate action, to extend grace and time, and to withhold the severe punishment that justice would demand. It is a request for mercy rather than a right.

• and I will pay thee all (καὶ πάντα σοι ἀποδώσω - kai panta soi apodōsō): A self-reliant, albeit impossible, promise. Apodidomi means "to give back," "to repay," "to render." The phrase "pay thee all" indicates his pledge to repay the entire, insurmountable debt. This promise, given the astronomical sum of 10,000 talents, is revealed as naive, deluded, or desperate. It highlights the vast difference between the servant's human estimation of his capability and the objective reality of his spiritual bankruptcy, mirroring humanity's inability to pay the debt of sin through personal effort.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him": This sequence emphasizes the servant's immediate and extreme reaction to his predicament. His physical posture of prostration combined with "worship" (homage) demonstrates complete and desperate submission to the king's power and a recognition of his authority, a stark contrast to his later unforgiving actions. It underscores the king's awesome sovereignty.
  • "Lord, have patience with me": This plea is an earnest cry for mercy and extended grace. It acknowledges the master's right to judgment but appeals to his capacity for compassion. This request is precisely what the king provides in even greater measure.
  • "and I will pay thee all": This promise reveals a flawed human understanding. While a desperate attempt to avoid punishment, it demonstrates the servant's underlying belief in his own future ability to fulfill an impossible obligation. It sets up the thematic tension of the parable: God's infinite forgiveness contrasted with humanity's often-limited understanding and capacity for mercy and justice.

Matthew 18 26 Bonus section

• Polemics against Self-Reliance: The servant's promise, "I will pay thee all," serves as a subtle polemic against any notion that a human being could ever "earn" or repay the divine debt of sin. This underscores the core Christian doctrine that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (Eph 2:8-9).
• Setting up the Contrast: This verse perfectly establishes the scale of divine forgiveness, which will be demonstrated by the king's radical action in Mt 18:27, thereby making the servant's subsequent unmercifulness (Mt 18:28) even more shocking and reprehensible.
• Echoes of Kingly Justice: The description of the servant prostrating himself before the king reflects common portrayals of subjects approaching powerful monarchs in the ancient Near East, reinforcing the immense power difference between God and humanity.

Matthew 18 26 Commentary

Matthew 18:26 vividly portrays the depths of human desperation and recognition of sovereign authority when confronted with insurmountable debt. The servant's act of falling down and "worshipping" the king is not necessarily religious adoration, but a culturally significant gesture of ultimate deference, humiliation, and petition before an absolute ruler. His "Lord" (kyrie) is an address to the master whose authority can command life or death, freedom or enslavement. His plea, "have patience with me," is a cry for extended grace and delayed judgment, recognizing his absolute inability to meet the king's immediate demand. However, the subsequent promise, "and I will pay thee all," is fraught with irony. The debt of 10,000 talents was hyperbole for an impossible sum, meaning the servant's pledge was empty. This self-reliant statement highlights the human tendency to attempt to earn or repay what can only be a gift of immense mercy. It underscores a spiritual parallel: humanity's inability to pay the immense debt of sin before a holy God, requiring divine, unmerited grace. This verse thus sets the stage for the king's astonishing act of complete forgiveness in the subsequent verse, sharply contrasting with the servant's own later lack of mercy.