Matthew 18:26 (YLT)

Passage

The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:24 and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents,

Matthew 18:25 and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made.

Matthew 18:26 The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;

Matthew 18:27 and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him.

Matthew 18:28 `And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "and he having nothing to pay his..." into verse 27's "and the lord of that servant having...", so "servant" and "having" 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 "having" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.