Matthew 18:33 Meaning and Explanation
“Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The king asks why the servant did not show the mercy he himself received.
What Does Matthew 18:33 Mean?
The king presses the heart of the matter with a question: should you not have had compassion on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you? The mercy received was to become the pattern for mercy given.
This single line carries the lesson of the whole chapter. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven, to extend to others the very compassion shown to us. The standard is not how much the other owes us, but how much we have been forgiven by God. Where that memory is alive, mercy flows naturally; where it is forgotten, the heart turns hard. Christ asks us to let received pity become given pity.
Matthew 18:33 in the Original Language
eleeo (ἐλεέω), 'had pity' -- to show mercy and compassion to one in need.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 18:33
What does Matthew 18:33 mean?
The king asks why the servant did not show the mercy he himself received.