Matthew 18:33 (WEB)

Passage

Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’

Nearby Context

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

Matthew 18:32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.

Matthew 18:33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’

Matthew 18:34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.

Matthew 18:35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "shouldn", "fellow", "servant", and "even". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "shouldn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 32's "Then his lord called him in and..." into verse 34's "His lord was angry and delivered him...", so "mercy" and "shouldn" 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 "mercy" and "shouldn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.