Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Then {G5119} his {G846} lord {G2962}, after that he had called {G4341} him {G846}, said {G3004} unto him {G846}, O thou wicked {G4190} servant {G1401}, I forgave {G863} thee {G4671} all {G3956} that {G1565} debt {G3782}, because {G1893} thou desiredst {G3870} me {G3165}:
Then the master summoned his servant and said, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt just because you begged me to do it.
Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.
Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me:
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Luke 19:22
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: -
Romans 3:19
¶ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. -
Matthew 25:26
His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Context of Matthew 18:32
Matthew 18:32 is a pivotal moment in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, also known as the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. This parable is one of Jesus' teachings on forgiveness, delivered in response to Peter's question about how often one should forgive. The verse captures the lord's indignant rebuke of his servant who, after being forgiven an unpayable, immense debt (Matthew 18:27), refused to show mercy to a fellow servant who owed him a comparatively tiny sum.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The KJV phrase "O thou wicked servant" translates from the Greek πονηρὲ δοῦλε (ponere doule). The word πονηρὲ (ponere) is a strong adjective meaning "evil," "wicked," "worthless," or "malignant." It emphasizes the servant's deep moral failing, not merely a minor misstep, but an action rooted in a corrupt heart that has forgotten the immense grace shown to it.
The phrase "I forgave thee all that debt" uses the Greek verb ἀφῆκά (aphēka), from ἀφίημι (aphiēmi), which means "to send away," "to release," "to dismiss," and crucially, "to forgive." The use of "all" (πᾶσαν - pasan) emphasizes the complete and total nature of the forgiveness granted, making the servant's subsequent actions even more egregious.
Practical Application
Matthew 18:32 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today: