In the parable the lord summoned the unmerciful debtor, and "said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me; shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him." "So likewise," said Jesus, "shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." He who refuses to forgive is thereby casting away his own hope of pardon.

I lignelsen kaldte herren på den ubarmhjertige skyldner og sagde: "Du onde tjener! Al den gæld eftergav jeg dig, da du bad mig om det. Burde du så ikke også forbarme dig over din medtjener ligesom jeg havde forbarmet mig over dig!" "Og hans herre blev vred og overgav ham til bøddelknægtene, indtil han fik betalt alt det, han skyldte ham." "Sådan skal også min himmelske Fader gøre med jer" sagde Jesus, "hvis ikke enhver af jer af hjertet tilgiver sin broder" Den, der nægter at tilgive, forspilder derved sit eget håb om at finde tilgivelse.