Die Gleichnisse Jesu
The Unmerciful Servant
A servant whose enormous debt was forgiven refuses to forgive a small debt from his fellow servant.
Matthäus 18,21-35
21Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? As many as seven times?"
Τότε προσελθὼν ⸂αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος εἶπεν⸃· Κύριε, ποσάκις ἁμαρτήσει εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις;
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Οὐ λέγω σοι ἕως ἑπτάκις ἀλλὰ ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά.
23That is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
Διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ·
24As he began the reckoning, a man was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents.
ἀρξαμένου δὲ αὐτοῦ συναίρειν ⸀προσηνέχθη ⸂αὐτῷ εἷς⸃ ὀφειλέτης μυρίων ταλάντων.
25Since he could not pay, the master ordered that he be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, to settle the debt.
μὴ ἔχοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀποδοῦναι ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ὁ ⸀κύριος πραθῆναι καὶ τὴν ⸀γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ πάντα ὅσα ⸀ἔχει καὶ ἀποδοθῆναι.
26So the servant fell to his knees before him and pleaded, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything."
πεσὼν οὖν ὁ δοῦλος προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων· ⸀Μακροθύμησον ἐπʼ ⸀ἐμοί, καὶ πάντα ⸂ἀποδώσω σοι⸃.
27His master was moved with compassion, released him, and canceled the debt.
σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος τοῦ δούλου ἐκείνου ἀπέλυσεν αὐτόν, καὶ τὸ δάνειον ἀφῆκεν αὐτῷ.
28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, "Pay me what you owe!"
ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος εὗρεν ἕνα τῶν συνδούλων αὐτοῦ ὃς ὤφειλεν αὐτῷ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια, καὶ κρατήσας αὐτὸν ἔπνιγεν λέγων· ⸀Ἀπόδος εἴ τι ὀφείλεις.
29His fellow servant fell down and begged him, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you."
πεσὼν οὖν ὁ σύνδουλος ⸀αὐτοῦ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν λέγων· Μακροθύμησον ἐπʼ ⸀ἐμοί, καὶ ἀποδώσω σοι.
30But he refused. Instead, he went off and had him thrown into prison until he should pay back what he owed.
ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν, ἀλλὰ ἀπελθὼν ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακὴν ἕως ⸀οὗ ἀποδῷ τὸ ὀφειλόμενον.
31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were deeply distressed, and they went and reported to their master everything that had taken place.
ἰδόντες ⸀οὖν οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ γενόμενα ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἐλθόντες διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν πάντα τὰ γενόμενα.
32Then the master summoned him and said, "You wicked servant! I canceled that whole debt of yours because you begged me.
τότε προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ λέγει αὐτῷ· Δοῦλε πονηρέ, πᾶσαν τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἐκείνην ἀφῆκά σοι, ἐπεὶ παρεκάλεσάς με·
33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?"
οὐκ ἔδει καὶ σὲ ἐλεῆσαι τὸν σύνδουλόν σου, ὡς κἀγὼ σὲ ἠλέησα;
34And in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back all he owed.
καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν τοῖς βασανισταῖς ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ πᾶν τὸ ⸀ὀφειλόμενον.
35This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Οὕτως καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ ⸀οὐράνιος ποιήσει ὑμῖν ἐὰν μὴ ἀφῆτε ἕκαστος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ⸀ὑμῶν.