The Meaning of Matthew 18:31 Explained

Matthew 18:31

KJV: So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very 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;

Darby: But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.

ASV: So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Matthew 18:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 18:21-35 - Forgiven Yet Unforgiving
Seventy times seven is illimitable forgiveness. These numbers denote the perfection of perfection; and if God asks so much of us, what is He not prepared to do! Despair of yourself, but never despair of God's forgiving mercy! The cause of soul-ruin is not sin, but the unbelief that thinks sin too great to be forgiven.
The difference between the two amounts of debt named in the parable sets forth the vast difference between our indebtedness to man and to God; and the free pardon of the king teaches us that God desires not only to forgive us, but to wipe out all memory of our sins. We could never pay all, but God will forgive all. Yet, notice that this servant forfeited the king's pardon, so that it ceased to operate. Similarly we may shut ourselves out of the benefits of Christ's death-though it has reconciled the world unto God-by an unforgiving and merciless spirit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 18

1  Jesus warns his disciples to be humble and harmless,
7  to avoid offenses,
10  and not to despise the little ones;
15  teaches how we are to deal with our brothers when they offend us,
21  and how often to forgive them;
23  which he sets forth by a parable of the king who took account of his servants,
32  and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellow servant

Greek Commentary for Matthew 18:31

Told [διεσαπησαν]
Made wholly clear to their own lord. That is the usual result in the long run. There is a limit to what people will put up with. [source]
Told [διεσάφησαν]
More than merely narrated. The verb is from διά , throughout, and σαφέν , to explain. They explained the circumstances throughout. [source]
Their Lord [τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν]
Lit., “their own Lord;” as befitted their position, and as a mark of their confidence in him. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 18:31

Matthew 13:36 Explain unto us [διασαπησον ημιν]
Also in Matthew 18:31. “Make thoroughly clear right now” (aorist tense of urgency). The disciples waited till Jesus left the crowds and got into the house to ask help on this parable. Jesus had opened up the Parable of the Sower and now they pick out this one, passing by the mustard seed and the leaven. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 18:31 mean?

Having seen therefore the fellow servants of him the things having taken place they were grieved deeply and having gone narrated to master of themselves all that
Ἰδόντες οὖν οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ γενόμενα ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα καὶ ἐλθόντες διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν πάντα τὰ

Ἰδόντες  Having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
σύνδουλοι  fellow  servants 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: σύνδουλος  
Sense: a fellow servant, one who serves the same master with another.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
τὰ  the  things 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γενόμενα  having  taken  place 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ἐλυπήθησαν  they  were  grieved 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λυπέω  
Sense: to make sorrowful.
σφόδρα  deeply 
Parse: Adverb
Root: σφόδρα  
Sense: exceedingly, greatly.
ἐλθόντες  having  gone 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
διεσάφησαν  narrated 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: διασαφέω  
Sense: to make clear or plain, to explain, unfold, declare.
κυρίῳ  master 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
ἑαυτῶν  of  themselves 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
τὰ  that 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.