Matthew 18:25-26
Context18:25 Because 1 he was not able to repay it, 2 the lord ordered him to be sold, along with 3 his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. 18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground 4 before him, saying, 5 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’
Matthew 18:34
Context18:34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him 6 until he repaid all he owed.
1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
2 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
3 tn Grk “and his wife.”
4 tn Grk “falling therefore the slave bowed down to the ground.” The redundancy of this expression signals the desperation of the slave in begging for mercy.
5 tc The majority of
6 tn Grk “handed him over to the torturers,” referring specifically to guards whose job was to torture prisoners who were being questioned. According to L&N 37.126, it is difficult to know for certain in this instance whether the term actually envisions torture as a part of the punishment or is simply a hyperbole. However, in light of the following verse and Jesus’ other warning statements in Matthew about “fiery hell,” “the outer darkness,” etc., it is best not to dismiss this as mere imagery.