Sirach, Chapter 27, verses 27-30

²⁷He that worketh mischief, it shall fall upon him, and he shall not know whence it cometh.

²⁸Mockery and reproach are from the proud; but vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for them.

²⁹They that rejoice at the fall of the righteous shall be taken in the snare; and anguish shall consume them before they die.

³⁰Malice and wrath, even these are abominations; and the sinful man shall have them both.

Sirach, Chapter 28, verses 1-7

¹He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins [in remembrance.]

²Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest.

³One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord?

⁴He sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins?

⁵If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?

⁶Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; [remember] corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.

⁷Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: [remember] the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance.

Romans, Chapter 14, verses 7-9

³ Men may not contemn nor condemn one the other for things indifferent

⁷For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

⁸For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

⁹For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Matthew, Chapter 18, verses 21-35

²¹ and how to forgive them, ²³ which he setteth forth by a parable of the king, that took account of his servants, ³² and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellow

²¹Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²²Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

²⁵But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

²⁶The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

²⁷Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

²⁹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

³¹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

³²Then 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:

³³Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

³⁵So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Read more:Matthew, Chapter 19

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Wesley's Notes

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Comments on the part

18:22 Till seventy times seven - That is, as often as there is occasion. A certain number is put for an uncertain.

18:23 Therefore - In this respect.

18:24 One was brought who owed him ten thousand talents - According to the usual computation, if these were talents of gold, this would amount to seventy - two millions sterling. If they were talents of silver, it must have been four millions, four hundred thousand pounds. Hereby our Lord intimates the vast number and weight of our offences against God, and our utter incapacity of making him any satisfaction.

18:25 As he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold - Such was the power which creditors anciently had over their insolvent debtors in several countries.

18:30 Went with him before a magistrate, and cast him into prison, protesting he should lie there, till he should pay the whole debt.

18:34 His lord delivered him to the tormentors - Imprisonment is a much severer punishment in the eastern countries than in ours.State criminals, especially when condemned to it, are not only confined to a very mean and scanty allowance, but are frequently loaded with clogs or heavy yokes, so that they can neither lie nor sit at ease: and by frequent scourgings and sometimes rackings are brought to an untimely end. Till he should pay all that was due to him - That is, without all hope of release, for this he could never do. How observable is this whole account; as well as the greatinference our Lord draws from it:

The debtor was freely and fully forgiven;
He wilfully and grievously offended;
His pardon was retracted, the whole debt required, and the offender delivered to the tormentors for ever.

And shall we still say, but when we are once freely and fullyforgiven, our pardon can never be retracted? Verily, verily, I say unto you, So likewise will my heavenlyFather do to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.


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Catholic lectionary for 11 September 2011

Sirach, Chapter 27, verses 27-30

Sirach, Chapter 28, verses 1-7

Romans, Chapter 14, verses 7-9

Matthew, Chapter 18, verses 21-35