MAT 18:23 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For this reason, the kingdom of the heavens is compared to a man, a king, who wanted to take up a word together with his slaves.

UST Given what I have told you, here is what God’s heavenly kingdom is like: a king wished to have his servants pay him what they owed him.

BSB Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

BLB Because of this, the kingdom of the heavens has become like to a man, a king, who desired to settle accounts with his servants.

AICNT “Therefore the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a king, who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

OEB Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

WEBBE Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

LSV Because of this was the kingdom of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who willed to take reckoning with his servants,

FBV “This is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with those servants who owed him money.

TCNT “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

T4T In order to illustrate why you should do this, I will tell you a story in which God [MTY/EUP], who cares for the people whose lives he rules over, is compared {I compare God, who cares for the people whose lives he rules over} to a king and his officials. That king told some of his servants that he wanted his officials to pay what they owed him.

LEB “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

BBE For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king, who went over his accounts with his servants.

Moff That is why the Realm of heaven may be compared to a king who resolved to settle accounts with his servants.

Wymth "For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.

ASV Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.

DRA Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants.

YLT 'Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants,

Drby For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen.

RV Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would make a reckoning with his servants.
(Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would make a reckon/counting/counting with his servants. )

SLT Therefore the kingdom of the heavens was likened to a man, the king, who wished to lift up the word together with his servants.

Wbstr Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king who would take account of his servants.

KJB-1769 ¶ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

KJB-1611 ¶ Therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine king, which would take accompt of his seruants.
(¶ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take accompt of his servants.)

Bshps Therfore is the kyngdome of heauen, lykened vnto a certayne man, that was a kyng, which woulde take accomptes of his seruauntes.
(Therefore is the kingdom of heaven, likened unto a certain man, that was a king, which would take accounts of his servants.)

Gnva Therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine King, which would take an account of his seruants.
(Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain King, which would take an account of his servants. )

Cvdl Therfore is ye kingdome of heaue lickened vnto a kynge which wolde reken wt his seruauntes.
(Therefore is ye/you_all kingdom of heaven likened unto a king which would reken with his servants.)

TNT Therfore is the kingdome of heven lykened vnto a certayne kynge which wolde take a countis of his servauntis.
(Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take a countis of his servantis. )

Wycl Therfor the kyngdom of heuenes is licned to a kyng, that wolde rekyn with hise seruauntis.
(Therefore the kingdom of heavens is likened to a king, that would rekyn with his servants.)

Luth Darum ist das Himmelreich gleich einem Könige, der mit seinen Knechten rechnen wollte.
(Therefore is the heaven_riches/kingdom even on king(s), the/of_the with his servants calculate/estimate wanted.)

ClVg Ideo assimilatum est regnum cælorum homini regi, qui voluit rationem ponere cum servis suis.[fn]
(Therefore/For_that_reason assimilated it_is kingdom of_the_heavens to_man to_rule, who/which wanted reason to_put when/with slaves to_his_own. )

18.23 Ideo assimilatum. Ut sciatis dimittendum esse conservis, ostendam per similitudinem, quia si ille rex et dominus dimisit servo, multo magis homo conservis suis.

18.23 Therefore/For_that_reason assimilated. As you(pl)_know let_gondum to_be conservis, I_will_show through similarity, because when/but_if he/that_one king and master released server/keeper, much more human conservis to_his_own.

UGNT διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ.
(dia touto hōmoiōthaʸ haʸ Basileia tōn Ouranōn anthrōpōi basilei, hos aʸthelaʸsen sunarai logon meta tōn doulōn autou.)

SBL-GNT Διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ·
(Dia touto hōmoiōthaʸ haʸ basileia tōn ouranōn anthrōpōi basilei hos aʸthelaʸsen sunarai logon meta tōn doulōn autou;)

RP-GNT Διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ.
(Dia touto hōmoiōthaʸ haʸ basileia tōn ouranōn anthrōpōi basilei, hos aʸthelaʸsen sunarai logon meta tōn doulōn autou.)

TC-GNT Διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὃς ἠθέλησε συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ.
(Dia touto hōmoiōthaʸ haʸ basileia tōn ouranōn anthrōpōi basilei, hos aʸthelaʸse sunarai logon meta tōn doulōn autou. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 18:21–35: Jesus told a parable about a servant who did not forgive

In this section, Jesus continued to talk about relationships among believers. He did this by telling a parable about a servant and a king. The king canceled the servant’s large debt. But the servant refused to cancel the small debt of his fellow servant. As a result the king punished the servant.

Jesus told this parable to show us that God has forgiven our many sins. So we should forgive the few sins that other people commit against us. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The parable of the servant who refused to forgive

The necessity for forgiveness (JBP)

18:23a

Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like

¶ “Because this is true, I can compare the kingdom of heaven/God to
¶ “I say this because God’s rule is like this next story/parable.

Because of this: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Because of this is more literally “because of this.” This phrase introduces a parable about forgiveness in the kingdom of heaven. The parable illustrates that when God forgives a person for his many sins, that person must forgive his fellow man for his few sins. If he does not forgive, God will judge him. This parable is closely related to Jesus’s command in verses 21–22 to forgive 77 times.

Here are some other ways to introduce this parable:

Use a connecting word or phrase. For example:
Because this is true
You must forgive like that because
In order to make clear why you should do this
Leave the connection between Jesus’ command and the parable implied. For example:
This story will show you what the kingdom of heaven is like (CEV)

the kingdom of heaven: The phrase kingdom of heaven has the same meaning as the phrase “kingdom of God.” This phrase also occurs in 18:1b. You should translate it the same way in both places. For example:

As a noun. For example:
the kingdom of God
God’s kingship
God’s rule over people
the rule of the one/Lord who lives in heaven
As a verbal expression. For example:
the way God rules his people
the way God cares for his people as king

is like: The phrase is like indicates that Jesus was going to compare one thing with another. He compared the kingdom of God (in particular forgiveness in the kingdom), to the forgiveness of the king in the parable.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

is like this

is like this parable:

18:23b

a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

a king who decided to ask his servants to come and repay the money that they owed him.
There was a certain chief. One day, this chief decided to collect the money that his workers owed him.

a king: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as a king is more literally “a man a king.” This means “a man who was a king.” In most languages, it will not be necessary to translate the word “man.”

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

a certain king/chief

who wanted: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as wanted indicates that the king had made a decision.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

who decided (NLT)

who wished (ESV)

to settle accounts: In this context, the Greek word that the BSB translates as accounts refers to financial records. Usually these records were debts that need to be repaid. So the Greek verb that the BSB translates as to settle refers to arrangements to pay off those debts.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to collect the money his servants owed him (NCV)

to ask his workers to pay him the money that they owed him

with his servants: The Greek word that the BSB translates as servants also means slaves. It usually refers to people who were owned by someone else. Many slaves in that time had absolutely no authority. But if they were slaves of a rich person, and if they were capable people, they could be given great responsibility.

In this context, this word refers to people who were in charge of the king’s finances. In some languages, it may be better to use a word other than “servant” or “slave.” For example:

his important workers

his officials (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διά τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ ὅς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετά τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ)

To teach his disciples, Jesus offers a story or illustration. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Listen to this story: given what I just said, the kingdom of the heavens is compared to a man]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διὰ τοῦτο

Here, the phrase For this reason introduces a conclusion or inference based on what Jesus has said about how his disciples should forgive others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different word or phrase that introduces a conclusion or inference. Alternate translation: [Because of that] or [Given all that]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ὡμοιώθη ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν

˓was˒_likened the Kingdom ˱of˲_the Heavens

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who does the comparing, it is clear from the context that it is Jesus himself. Alternate translation: [I compare the kingdom of the heavens to] or [the kingdom of the heavens is comparable to]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

συνᾶραι λόγον

˓to˒_settle_accounts account

Here, the phrase to take up a word together refers to settling accounts, that is, resolving any debts or loans between people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [to settle accounts]

Parallel MAT 18:23

Section 18:21–35: Jesus told a parable about a servant who did not forgive

18:23a

18:23b