Matthew 18:29 (ASV)

Passage

So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.

Nearby Context

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.

Matthew 18:29 So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.

Matthew 18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.

Matthew 18:31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fellow-servant", "down", "besought", "saying", "patience", and "thee". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fellow-servant" and "down", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 28's "But that servant went out and found..." into verse 30's "And he would not but went and...", so "fellow-servant" and "down" 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 "fellow-servant" and "down" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.