18:27a
His master: The word master refers to the king in 18:23b.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the master of that servant (English Standard Version)
-or-
The king (Good News Translation)
had compassion on him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as had compassion comes from a noun that refers to a person’s intestines. As with many other cultures in the world, Greek culture considered a person’s intestines as the place of strong emotion. In this context, the emotion is pity or compassion. The master felt sorry for the servant. Consider how this sort of emotion is expressed in your language and translate in that way.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
took/had pity on him
-or-
felt sorry for him (Good News Translation)
-or-
had mercy on him
18:27b
forgave his debt: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as forgave also occurs in 18:21b in relation to sins. Here it refers to forgiving/canceling a debt. This means that the master no longer required the servant to pay back the money that he owed him. You should use whichever verb is natural in your language for this action.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
cancelled the debt (Revised English Bible)
-or-
told him he did not have to pay it back (New Century Version)
debt: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as debt could also be translated as “loan.” It indicates that the debt which the servant had to repay was money that he borrowed from the king.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
debt (New International Version)
-or-
loan
-or-
money (Contemporary English Version)
released him: This phrase probably indicates that the servant was held in some way. As mentioned in 18:24b, some servants had brought this servant in before the king. They were perhaps still holding him. So the master commanded them to release him.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
let him go (New International Version)
-or-
set him free (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
General Comment on 18:27b
In some languages, it will be more natural to use direct speech here. For example:
and said to him, ‘You do not have to pay back your debt. You may go now.’
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