Matthew 18:26 (ASV)

Passage

The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.

Matthew 18:25 But forasmuch as he had not [wherewith] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Matthew 18:27 And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

Matthew 18:28 But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "servant", "therefore", "fell", "down", "worshipped", "saying", "lord", and "patience". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "servant" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "But forasmuch as he had not wherewith..." into verse 27's "And the lord of that servant being...", so "servant" and "therefore" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "servant" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.