"Master, how often shall someone sin against me and I go on forgiving him?" asked Peter. "Seven times?"
"Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven." Jesus paused and then went on. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. The king ordered one man, with his wife and children, to be sold into slavery, and all his possessions sold for cash so that the debt could be met.
"The servant fell on his knees and begged, 'Master have patience with me and I will pay you every penny.' Out of pity, the king released him and forgave him the whole debt.
"On his way home, the servant met a fellow servant who owed him a very small sum of money. He grabbed the poor fellow by the throat and demanded, 'You pay me what you owe me!' The man fell on his knees and begged, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you.' But he refused. Instead, he put him into prison until the debt should be paid. The other servants saw how unfair this was and they told the king what had happened.
"The king called for the unjust servant and said: 'You wicked servant! When you asked, I forgave you all that you owed me—should you not have been merciful to your fellow servant, as I was merciful to you?' Very angry, the king threw the unjust man into jail to remain there until his whole debt was paid.
"Neither can you be forgiven," concluded Jesus, "unless you forgive others from your heart."
After a moment John said: "Do you really think God pays attention to us. Master? He seems so far away. Oh, I know he watches over the nation—but I am not sure he cares what happens to me!"
Jesus nodded toward Simon. "Simon loves his children," he said. "Simon, if your little son should ask you for a piece of bread, would you give him a rock to eat? Or if he asked for a broiled fish, would you give him a poisonous snake instead? Or if he asked for an egg, would you give him a scorpion with a deadly stinger?"
"No, of course not!" exclaimed Simon.
"Well, then, if you can do that much for your children, do you not think that God will do far more for those who trust him?"