Bible Strands
Matthew 18:23
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples immediately after commanding them to forgive seventy-seven times. He introduces a parable to ground that prior instruction in a concrete scenario.
The words — Διὰ τοῦτο (dia touto) means "because of this," explicitly linking the parable to the preceding command. ὡμοιώθη (hōmoiōthē) translates literally as "has become like," establishing the direct comparison framework.
The thread — The accountability motif appears in Romans 14:12, where each person gives an account to God, while the kingdom of heaven theme connects to Matthew 3:2 and Matthew 13:24.
Why it lands — The text states that a king initiates the settlement of accounts with his servants. It requires the reader to extend the demanded forgiveness to others without calculating limits.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Cross-references
- Matthew 13:24 Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
- Romans 14:12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
- Matthew 3:2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
- Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.
- Matthew 13:47 Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.
- Luke 16:1 Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
- Luke 19:12 So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return.
- Matthew 13:31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.
- Matthew 13:33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
- Matthew 13:52 Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”