Matthew 18 30

Matthew 18:30 kjv

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

Matthew 18:30 nkjv

And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

Matthew 18:30 niv

"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

Matthew 18:30 esv

He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

Matthew 18:30 nlt

But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

Matthew 18 verses

Matthew 18 30 Meaning

This verse describes the harsh, unmerciful action of the servant who had just been forgiven an immense debt. Despite his fellow servant's desperate plea, echoing his own successful plea to the master, he callously refused to forgive the much smaller sum owed to him. Instead, he chose to exercise the full extent of his power, casting the debtor into prison until the entire debt, no matter how small or seemingly impossible for the jailed person to pay, was satisfied. This act starkly illustrates a heart devoid of the very mercy it had so recently received.

Matthew 18 30 Context

Matthew 18:30 is a pivotal verse within Jesus's Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35). This parable serves as Jesus's direct answer to Peter's question in Matthew 18:21, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus responds by declaring "Not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (or "seventy times seven" in some translations), signifying limitless forgiveness. The parable illustrates this radical concept by presenting a king who forgives a servant an unpayable, astronomical debt (representing humanity's insurmountable sin-debt before God). However, the forgiven servant then encounters a fellow servant who owes him a comparatively tiny amount and, in stark contrast to the mercy he received, ruthlessly refuses to show any clemency, enforcing the debt by throwing his debtor into prison. Historically and culturally, imprisonment for debt was common in the ancient world, often leading to perpetual servitude if the debt could not be paid by family or external intervention. This societal reality amplifies the severity and finality of the unforgiving servant's action, highlighting his profound lack of empathy and a perverse sense of justice, setting the stage for the king's righteous judgment in the following verses.

Matthew 18 30 Word analysis

• And: (kai - Greek: καὶ) A simple conjunction, yet in narrative, it provides continuity, linking the servant's previous plea to his subsequent cruel action. It underscores the immediacy of his choice after receiving boundless grace.
• he refused: (ouk ēthelen - Greek: οὐκ ἤθελεν) This is a strong negative ("ouk" - not) with a verb ("ēthelen" from thelō - to wish, be willing, desire). It translates as "he was not willing," or "he did not want to." This indicates a deliberate, unyielding, and determined unwillingness on the servant's part to extend mercy. It's not a mere inability, but an active refusal stemming from an unmerciful heart.
• and went: (apelthōn - Greek: ἀπελθών) A participle meaning "having gone away," it implies immediate action following his refusal. He didn't linger or reconsider; he swiftly acted on his decision, separating himself from the plea for mercy.
• and threw him: (ebalen auton - Greek: ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν) "Ebalen" is from ballō, meaning "to cast," "throw," "put," or "throw into prison." It's a forceful and decisive act, not a gentle placing. "Auton" means "him," referring to the fellow servant. This emphasizes the swift and violent nature of the servant's retributive justice.
• into prison: (eis phylakēn - Greek: εἰς φυλακὴν) "Phylakē" means a "guarding," "custody," "imprisonment," or "place of detention." This was a common consequence for unpaid debts in that era. It signifies a place of punishment and confinement, where one cannot work to repay.
• until: (heōs hou - Greek: ἕως οὗ) This phrase means "until such time as." It sets a condition for release that, in the context of being imprisoned for debt, was often impossible to meet. It signifies an indefinite or potentially permanent incarceration if no external intervention or repayment occurred.
• he should pay back: (apodō - Greek: ἀποδῷ) From apodidōmi, "to give back," "pay back," "restore." This verb highlights the expectation of full restitution.
• the debt: (to opheilomenon - Greek: τὸ ὀφειλόμενον) Literally, "that which was owed," "the owed thing." This passive participle (opheilō - to owe) stresses the specific amount of money. The servant insisted on complete financial satisfaction for even a minuscule sum, ignoring the overwhelming moral debt of mercy he himself now carried.
• And he refused and went: This phrase emphasizes the deliberate and immediate nature of the unforgiving servant's cruel act. His unwillingness was swiftly followed by punitive action, leaving no room for reconsideration or mercy, despite the recent personal experience of such mercy.
• threw him into prison until he should pay back the debt: This full phrase underscores the harsh finality and practical impossibility of the action. By imprisoning him, the fellow servant would be prevented from earning the money needed to pay back the debt, creating a vicious cycle of inescapable servitude or perpetual incarceration. It highlights the servant's self-serving justice, oblivious to the immense debt of gratitude he owed and the corresponding moral obligation to show grace.

Matthew 18 30 Bonus section

The "ten thousand talents" in the earlier part of the parable (Mt 18:24) represent an astronomical sum, perhaps the equivalent of hundreds of millions to billions of modern dollars, an amount no individual could ever realistically earn or repay. In contrast, the "hundred denarii" (Mt 18:28) was a sum equivalent to about a hundred days' wages for a laborer, significant but utterly trivial compared to the first debt. This vast numerical disparity (10,000 talents : 100 denarii) is central to the parable's impact and amplifies the egregious unmercifulness depicted in Matthew 18:30. The King's decision to "deliver him to the torturers" in verse 34 after the servant's act in verse 30 implies a profound reversal of fortune and a fitting punishment for his unforgiving heart. This signifies that an unmerciful heart incurs a new, self-imposed "debt" of judgment from God. This also strongly connects to the final interpretive statement in Mt 18:35, making clear that divine forgiveness is conditional on human forgiveness. The parabolic context often uses extreme, hyperbole to shock the audience and drive home Jesus's point.

Matthew 18 30 Commentary

Matthew 18:30 starkly exposes the depths of hypocrisy and ingratitude. The servant, fresh from experiencing the king's unimaginable mercy that cancelled a literally unpayable debt, demonstrates a complete lack of compassion towards another who owes him a paltry sum. His actions—a determined refusal, swift execution of punitive power, and imprisonment "until he should pay back the debt"—mirror the very injustice from which he was freed, yet he fails to recognize the irony. This verse serves as a chilling illustration that true reception of divine forgiveness demands a radical transformation of the heart, compelling the forgiven to become forgivers. It underscores that understanding God's grace is not merely intellectual assent but a profound experiential truth that must manifest in one's treatment of others. To withhold mercy after receiving it reflects an unrepentant heart, suggesting a superficial grasp of one's own forgiven status, thereby inviting God's just retribution, as the subsequent verses reveal. This powerful moral imperative means that the Christian, having been absolved of an infinite spiritual debt, is morally bound to release others from their finite transgressions.Examples: A church leader, after receiving prayer and forgiveness for a serious personal sin, refuses to forgive a minor transgression from a church member, holding onto resentment and exclusion. A parent, having experienced profound forgiveness from God for past failures, harbors an unforgiving attitude towards their child's repeated minor mistakes, refusing to offer grace or understanding.