Matthew 18 · Verse 31

Matthew 18:31

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Matthew 18:31, King James Version

Matthew 18:31 in other translations

BSBWhen his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.
WEBSo when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
ASVSo when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
YLT‘And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done;
DARBYBut his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.
BBESo when the other servants saw what was done they were very sad, and came and gave word to their lord of what had been done.
WebsterSo when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.

What does Matthew 18:31 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. So when his fellowservants, etc. This is a mere circumstance thrown into the story for the sake of keeping, or making a consistent narrative. It cannot be intended to teach that other Christians should go and tell God What a brother had done; for God well knows all the actions of his children, and does not need us, surely, to inform him of what is done. It is abusing the Bible, and departing from the design of parables, to press every circumstance, and to endeavour to extract, from it some spiritual meaning. Our Saviour, in this parable, designed most clearly to exhibit only one great truth--the duty of forgiving our brethren, and the great evil of not forgiving a brother when he offends us. The circumstances of the parable are intended only to make the story consistent with itself, and thus to impress the general truth more fully on the mind.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 His fellow-servants saw what was done - An act of this kind is so dishonorable to all the followers of Christ, and to the spirit of his Gospel, that through the respect they owe to their Lord and Master, and through the concern they feel for the prosperity of his cause, they are obliged to plead against it at the throne of God.

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 18:31 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.

ἸδόντεςIdontesHaving seenG1492
οὖνounthereforeG3767
οἱhoitheG3588
σύνδουλοιsundouloifellow servantsG4889
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
τὰtathe [things]G3588
γενόμεναgenomenahaving taken placeG1096
ἐλυπήθησανelupēthēsanthey were grievedG3076
σφόδρα,sphodradeeply,G4970
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐλθόντεςelthonteshaving goneG2064
διεσάφησανdiesaphēsanthey narratedG1285
τῷtōto theG3588
κυρίῳkuriōmasterG2962
ἑαυτῶνhe'autōnof themselvesG1438
πάνταpantaallG3956
τὰtathatG3588
γενόμενα.¶genomenahaving taken place.G1096

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

Cross references for Matthew 18:31

  • Romans 12:15

    Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

  • Hebrews 13:3

    Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

  • Mark 3:5

    And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

  • Jeremiah 9:1

    Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

  • Hebrews 13:17

    Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

  • Genesis 37:2

    These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

  • Psalms 119:136

    Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

  • Luke 14:21

    So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

  • Luke 19:41

    And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

  • Romans 9:1-3

    I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

  • Psalms 119:158

    I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they.
Ps 119:136,158; Jer 9:1; Mr 3:5; Lu 19:41; Ro 9:1-3; 12:15
2Co 11:21; Heb 13:3
and came.
Ge 37:2; Lu 14:21; Heb 13:17

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

Context

  • Matthew 18:30

    And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

  • Matthew 18:31

    So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

  • Matthew 18:32

    Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

Read all of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y viendo sus consiervos lo que pasaba, se entristecieron mucho, y viniendo, declararon á su señor todo lo que había pasado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or ceux qui étaient esclaves avec lui, voyant ce qui était arrivé, furent extrêmement affligés, et s’en vinrent et déclarèrent à leur seigneur tout ce qui s’était passé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als aber seine Mitknechte sahen, was geschehen war, wurden sie sehr betrübt und gingen und berichteten ihrem Herrn alles, was geschehen war.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Videntes autem conservi ejus quæ fiebant, contristati sunt valde: et venerunt, et narraverunt domino suo omnia quæ facta fuerant.