18:33

This verse is a rhetorical question. The king used this rhetorical question to rebuke the servant.

Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you? (New Living Translation (2004))

• As a tag question. For example:

You should have mercy on your fellow servant just as I had mercy on you, should you not?

• As a statement followed by a “why” question. For example:

I had mercy on you. Why did you not have mercy on your fellow servant?

• As a statement. For example:

You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you. (Good News Translation)
-or-
I had mercy on you. ⌊So⌋ you should also have mercy on your fellow servant.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is most natural in your language.

18:33a

Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Shouldn’t you includes a verb that is often translated “it is necessary.” In this context, it indicates what is the servant’s duty.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

you must have mercy on your fellow servant
-or-
you are required/obligated to have mercy on your fellow servant

have had mercy on: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have…mercy on means “pity” someone,” or “have compassion” on someone because of their condition. For example:

show pity (Contemporary English Version)

18:33b

just as I had on you: The verb had is the same verb as “had mercy” in 18:33a. The king expected the servant to pity his fellow servant as the king had pitied him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

like I pitied you

-or-

like the way that I did to you

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