After a long time parallels “is delayed” (24.48) and “was delayed” (25.5) of the first and second parables in this series of three.

Settled accounts with them does not refer to a past event but rather to something yet to take place, and so one may need to translate “in order to settle accounts with them.” New English Bible is sensitive to the problem: “and proceeded to settle accounts with them.” The same expression was used in 18.23. In this verse translators may say “asked them to account for what they had done with the money” or “checked with them about the money.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .