The Unforgiving Servant

Following is a 1973 painting of the JESUS MAFA project, a response to New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings was selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings:

From Art in the Christian Tradition , a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. Image retrieved March 23, 2026. Original source: librairie-emmanuel.fr.

complete verse (Matthew 18:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 18:31:

  • Uma: “‘When the other slaves saw what had happened, they were very angry/upset. They went to the king and told [him] the behavior/character of that slave earlier.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then when the other servants saw what happened there, they were very worried. They went to the sultan and told him about it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when his companion servants learned about it, they went to their master the king, and they told him everything.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When his fellow officials saw that-aforementioned that he had done, they were extremely sad/upset (lit. their thoughts hurt extremely), and they went to the king who was their boss and related to him everything that had happened.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When their fellow servants observed this happening, they were really grieved. They went to the king and told.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Others of the workers saw what was done and were incensed at what that one had done to his fellowman. They went then to tell the boss what he had done.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Matthew 18:21-35)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 18:21-35:

“Forgiveness times seven is surely enough
       to offer anyone who offends me,” said Peter.

“Try seven times that amount!” answered Jesus,
“and listen to this story about the Ultimate Kingdom.”

       The CEO of a big corporation called in his employees
              to account for their use of the company funds.
       One of them came up fifty million dollars short,
              and he was broke.

       “His wife and children are just as guilty,” said the CEO.
       “Lock all of them up and throw away the key,
               until he pays back every cent he owes.”

       But the man begged for mercy
       and swore he’d repay every cent.
              So the soft-hearted CEO forgave his debt.

       On the way out of the office, the man happened to meet
              an office boy who owed him a measly fifty bucks.
       With his hands around the throat of he boy, he shouted,
              “Pay me every cent you owe!”

       The boy begged for mercy and swore to repay every cent.
       But there was no mercy, and the boy was thrown into jail
              until he could repay the full amount.

       Some other employees found out what had happened,
       and they reported the matter to the CEO,
              who called the man in and said, “You’re evil!
       When you begged for mercy, I forgave every penny.
              Isn’t that what you should have done for this boy?
       I’ll have your hide for this!
       You, your wife, and your family of four
              will perish impoverished in prison.”

“Listen up!” exclaimed Jesus.
“If you don’t forgive others with all your heart,
       my Father above will treat you like this.”

Translation commentary on Matthew 18:31

Fellow servants is the same noun used in verses 28 and 29. For many translators, “the king’s other servants (or, officials)” is a natural expression.

Distressed, a verb signifying shock and amazement, is used in the Septuagint of Nehemiah 5.6; Jonah 4.4, 9. The story would have been shocking to Jesus’ disciples also, since it was not customary to imprison a person for debt in Palestine.

Their lord is translated “the king” by Good News Translation. See comment at verse 27, where “the lord of that servant” is also translated “the king” by Good News Translation. In addition, see verse 34.

Reported translates a verb that may be used when a man reports to his superior. Elsewhere in the New Testament it is found only in 13.36. Here “told the king” is probably acceptable.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 18:31



Paragraph 18:31–35

18:31a

In Greek, this verse begins with the same conjunction that occurs in 18:29a. This conjunction indicates that 18:31 is the result of what the servant did in 18:30.

Here are some other ways to begin this verse:

When this happened
-or-
As a result

Most English versions do not translate this word. They allow the context to suggest the connection. In some languages, a conjunction will not be necessary here either.

When his fellow servants saw: The phrase fellow servants refers to other people who were all servants of the same king. The pronoun his refers to either the first servant or the second servant. It is also possible to translate this clause in a general way. For example:

When the other servants saw (Good News Translation)

Probably some, not all, of the servants saw what had happened. In some languages, it may be more natural to say:

When some of the other servants saw (New Living Translation (2004))

fellow servants: This is the same word that occurs in 18:28b.

what had happened: This phrase can also be translated as “the things that happened.” It is not clear whether the other servants saw only the argument between the two servants, or whether they also saw how the king forgave the first servant. They probably knew about all these things even if they did not actually see them with their eyes. So translate this phrase in a general way. For example:

saw this (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
saw what had taken place (English Standard Version)
-or-
saw ⌊these things/events⌋

18:31b

they were greatly distressed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as distressed also means “sad,” “sorrowful,” and “grieved.” The servants were very upset that the first servant did not show any compassion toward the second servant. The king had showed him such great compassion to him. But he did not show compassion to someone else.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

they were very upset (NET Bible)
-or-
they were shocked

18:31c

they went: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went can also mean “came.” For example:

and came (New American Standard Bible)

Here you should use the verb that is most natural in this context.

and recounted: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as recounted means “fully explained” something. Here is another way to translate this verb:

and told (New International Version)

all of this: This phrase refers to the things that the first servant had done to the second servant.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

everything that ⌊the first servant⌋ had done
-or-
the whole affair (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
all that ⌊the first servant⌋ did ⌊to the second servant⌋⌋

to their master: The word master refers to the king.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the king/chief

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