Matthew 18:25 (WEB)

Passage

But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.

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

Matthew 18:25 But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "couldn", "lord", "commanded", "sold", "wife", "children", and "payment". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "couldn" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 24's "When he had begun to reconcile one..." into verse 26's "The servant therefore fell down and knelt...", so "couldn" and "lord" 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 "couldn" and "lord" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.