Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Matthew 18:21 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 21. 21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Records Peter asking whether forgiveness should extend to seven offenses.
Read It With
- Matthew 18:21–18:35
Matthew 18:21 records Peter asking whether forgiveness should extend to seven offenses; within Matthew 18:21–18:35, it contributes to this controlling movement: Peter asks how often to forgive, Jesus answers beyond counting, and tells of a forgiven servant who violently exacts a smaller debt and faces judgment.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Records Peter asking whether forgiveness should extend to seven offenses. This precise contribution belongs inside “Unlimited forgiveness confronts unforgiving power” because Peter asks how often to forgive, Jesus answers beyond counting, and tells of a forgiven servant who violently exacts a smaller debt and faces judgment.
Follow the Context
- Peter asks how often to forgive, Jesus answers beyond counting, and tells of a forgiven servant who violently exacts a smaller debt and faces judgment.
- The parable condemns refusal of received mercy; forgiveness does not equal immediate trust, waived safety, canceled restitution, or release of institutional accountability.
- This parable does not force victims to reconcile, erase debt justice questions, excuse abuse, or let authorities threaten torment to secure compliance.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
This parable does not force victims to reconcile, erase debt justice questions, excuse abuse, or let authorities threaten torment to secure compliance.
What Remains True
Because Matthew 18:21 records Peter asking whether forgiveness should extend to seven offenses, faithful readers should preserve this verse's exact role, first setting, affected people, and the complete movement of Matthew 18:21–18:35 before naming an enduring conclusion.
How It Can Shape Life
- For Matthew 18:21, first state this verse-specific contribution—records Peter asking whether forgiveness should extend to seven offenses; then explain it inside Matthew 18:21–18:35; preserve the source-controlled uncertainty—The parable condemns refusal of received mercy; forgiveness does not equal immediate trust, waived safety, canceled restitution, or release of institutional accountability.; and refuse this misuse: This parable does not force victims to reconcile, erase debt justice questions, excuse abuse, or let authorities threaten torment to secure compliance.
Teach It Back
Explain how Matthew 18:21 records Peter asking whether forgiveness should extend to seven offenses. Then identify its speaker or narrator, first Jewish and scriptural setting, one affected person, the material uncertainty, and the specific conclusion this verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Matthew 18:21–18:35 — Unlimited forgiveness confronts unforgiving powerSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The parable condemns refusal of received mercy; forgiveness does not equal immediate trust, waived safety, canceled restitution, or release of institutional accountability.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and thought-unit coverage.
Exact location: Matthew 18:21–18:35, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording and punctuation control without treating one edition as a complete apparatus.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text file data/sblgnt/text/Matt.txt, Matthew 18:21–18:35
Open the Matthew Greek text file ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Morphology and lexical cross-check for the expressions actually discussed in this thought unit.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data TAGNT rows for Matthew 18:21–18:35
Open source ↗open translation and translator notes
NET Bible: Matthew with Translators' and Textual Notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-attached textual, translation, language, historical, Jewish-background, and Synoptic notes for this unit.
Exact location: NET Bible Matthew PDF, printed pp. 1808-1867, exact tn/tc/sn entries attached to 18:21–18:35
Open source ↗open university bible study course
The Gospel of Matthew Course and Study Guides
Harold W. Attridge and Michal Beth Dinkler
Yale Bible Study, Yale Divinity School, current 2026 online edition
Supports: Critical literary orientation with source, setting, historical, and theological judgments retained as interpretations.
Exact location: Yale Bible Study, course unit 'The Beloved Community,' Matthew 17-20 study guide
Open source ↗open seminary bible study course
Matthew Course
James L. Boyce; revised by Kristofer Phan Coffman
Enter the Bible, Luther Seminary, 2023 revision
Supports: Whole-book orientation and unit placement, including visible uncertainty about authorship, date, setting, and purpose.
Exact location: Enter the Bible Matthew course, 'Summary,' 'Outline,' 'Background,' 'Introductory Issues,' 'Theological Themes,' and passage index entry for Matthew 18:21–18:35
Open source ↗open confessional commentary
Matthew
Douglas Sean O'Donnell
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, current 2026 online edition
Supports: One complete confessional reading checked against the text, critical scholarship, and Jewish-context controls.
Exact location: O'Donnell, online Matthew commentary, heading and paragraphs explicitly covering Matthew 18:21–18:35
Open source ↗scholarly annotated translation
Matthew, in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Aaron M. Gale; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Aaron M. Gale, Matthew introduction and annotations, print pp. 1-54; related essays and sidebars in The Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition.
Supports: Jewish setting, Scripture, Torah debate, named groups, practices, and anti-Judaism control at the passage address.
Exact location: Gale, Matthew introduction and verse-addressed annotations, first-edition print pp. 1-54, exact annotation at Matthew 18:21–18:35
Open source ↗