Matthew 18:23 (LSB)

Passage

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Matthew 18:22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

Matthew 18:24 When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

Matthew 18:25 But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "reason", "kingdom", "heaven", "compared", "wished", "settle", and "accounts". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "reason" and "kingdom", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Jesus said to him I do not..." into verse 24's "When he had begun to settle them...", so "reason" and "kingdom" 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 "reason" and "kingdom" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.