Matthew 18 · Verse 25

Matthew 18:25

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Matthew 18:25, King James Version

Matthew 18:25 in other translations

BSB	Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.
WEB	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.
ASV	But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
YLT	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.
DARBY	But he not having anything to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.
BBE	And because he was not able to make payment, his lord gave orders for him, and his wife, and his sons and daughters, and all he had, to be given for money, and payment to be made.
Webster	But as he had not ability to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

What does Matthew 18:25 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

25. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made--(See 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:8; Le 25:39).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 25. His lord commanded him to be sold, etc. By the laws of the Hebrews, they were permitted to sell debtors, with their wives and children, into servitude for a time sufficient to pay the debt. See 2Kgs 4:1, Lev 25:39-46, Amos 8:6.

(u) "be sold" 2Kgs 4:1, Is 1:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 25 He had not to pay - That is not being able to pay. As there could not be the smallest probability that a servant, wholly dependent on his master, who was now absolutely insolvent, could ever pay a debt he had contracted of more than 67 millions! - so is it impossible for a sinner, infinitely indebted to Divine justice, ever to pay a mite out of the talent. Commanded him to be sold - his wife - children, etc. - Our Lord here alludes to an ancient custom among the Hebrews, of selling a man and his family to make payment of contracted debts. See Exo 22:3; Lev 25:30, Lev 25:47; 2Kgs 4:1. This custom passed from among the Jews to the Greeks and Romans. I have already remarked (see Gen 47:19) that in the Burman empire the sale of whole families, to discharge debts, is very common.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 18:21-35

Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable: 1. The master's wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin, to be…

Read the full comment on Matthew 18:21-35 →

Matthew 18:25 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μὴmē[When] notG3361

ἔχοντοςechontosis having [anything]G2192

δὲdenowG1161

αὐτοῦautouheG846

ἀποδοῦναιapodounaito payG591

ἐκέλευσενekeleusenhe commandedG2753

αὐτὸνautonhimG846

ὁhotheG3588

κύριοςkuriosmasterG2962

πραθῆναιprathēnaito be soldG4097

καὶkaiandG2532

τὴνtēntheG3588

γυναῖκαgunaikawifeG1135

καὶkaiandG2532

τὰtatheG3588

τέκναteknachildrenG5043

καὶkaiandG2532

πάνταpantaallG3956

ὅσαhosaas much asG3745

ἔχειecheihe hasG2192

καὶkaiandG2532

ἀποδοθῆναι.¶apodothēnaipayment to be made.G591

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 18:25

Nehemiah 5:5
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
2 Kings 4:1
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
Luke 7:42
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Leviticus 25:39
And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
Nehemiah 5:8
And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
Isaiah 50:1
Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Exodus 21:2
If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

commanded.
Le 25:39; 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:5,8; Isa 50:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 18:24
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Matthew 18:25
But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Matthew 18:26
The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Read all of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:25 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas á éste, no pudiendo pagar, mandó su señor venderle, y á su mujer é hijos, con todo lo que tenía, y que se le pagase.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et comme il n’avait pas de quoi payer, son seigneur ordonna qu’il soit vendu, lui, et sa femme, et ses enfants, et tout ce qu’il avait; et que le paiement soit fait.
German Elberfelder 1871	Da derselbe aber nicht hatte zu bezahlen, befahl sein Herr, ihn und sein Weib und die Kinder und alles, was er hatte, zu verkaufen und zu bezahlen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Cum autem non haberet unde redderet, jussit eum dominus ejus venundari, et uxorem ejus, et filios, et omnia quæ habebat, et reddi.