Matthew 18 · Verse 26

Matthew 18:26

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Matthew 18:26, King James Version

Matthew 18:26 in other translations

BSBThen the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’
WEBThe servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
ASVThe servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
YLTThe servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
DARBYThe bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.
BBESo the servant went down on his face and gave him worship, saying, Lord, give me time to make payment and I will give you all.
WebsterThe servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

What does Matthew 18:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him--or did humble obeisance to him. saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all--This was just an acknowledgment of the justice of the claim made against him, and a piteous imploration of mercy.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him. This does not mean that he paid him religious homage, but that in a humble, and reverent, and earnest manner, he entreated him to have patience with him. He prostrated himself before his lord, as is customary in all eastern nations, when subjects are in the presence of their king. Mt 2:2.

(1) "worshipped" or, "besought him"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Fell down and worshipped him - Προσεκυνει αυτω, crouched as a dog before him, with the greatest deference, submission, and anxiety. Have patience with me - Μακροθυμησον επ' εμοι, be long-minded towards me - give me longer space. The means which a sinner should use to be saved, are, 1. Deep humiliation of heart - he fell down. 2. Fervent prayer. 3. Confidence in the mercy of God - have patience. 4. A firm purpose to devote his soul and body to his Maker - I will pay thee all. A sinner may be said, according to the economy of grace, to pay all, when he brings the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus to the throne of justice, by faith; thus offering an equivalent for the pardon he seeks, and paying all he owes to Divine justice, by presenting the blood of the Lamb.

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 18:26 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.

ΠεσὼνPesōnHaving fallen downG4098
οὖνounthereforeG3767
ὁhotheG3588
δοῦλοςdoulosservantG1401
προσεκύνειprosekuneiwas bowing on his kneesG4352
αὐτῷautōto himG846
λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004
μακροθύμησονmakrothumēsondo have patienceG3114
ἐπ᾽ep᾽withG1909
ἐμοί,emoime myself,G1473
καὶkaiandG2532
πάνταpantaallG3956
ἀποδώσωapodōsōI will payG591
σοι.¶soito you.G4771

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

Cross references for Matthew 18:26

  • Matthew 18:29

    And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

  • Luke 7:43

    Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

  • Matthew 8:2

    And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

  • Romans 10:3

    For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
worshipped him. or, besought him. have.
29; Lu 7:43; Ro 10:3

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Matthew 18:27

    Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

Read all of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces aquel siervo, postrado, le adoraba, diciendo: Señor, ten paciencia conmigo, y yo te lo pagaré todo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		L’esclave donc, se jetant à ses pieds, lui rendit hommage, disant: Seigneur, use de patience envers moi, et je te paierai tout.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Knecht nun fiel nieder, huldigte ihm und sprach: Herr, habe Geduld mit mir, und ich will dir alles bezahlen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Procidens autem servus ille, orabat eum, dicens: Patientiam habe in me, et omnia reddam tibi.