Matthew 18:31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.
The setting
Capernaum, Israel, ~29 AD. Fellow servants witness cruelty and cannot stay silent about injustice...
The emotion here: building tension toward moral reckoning
The original word
perilypos (περίλυπος) — deeply grieved, surrounded by sorrow, overwhelmed with sadness
Why it matters
In Roman households, servants often formed tight communities and looked out for each other
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 18:31
The other servants were 'exceedingly sorry' - they felt the victim's pain as their own
Common misconceptionSome think this teaches 'tattling is wrong,' but Jesus is showing that injustice witnessed in silence becomes injustice enabled.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 18:31
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 18:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 18:31 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include justice, reporting. Notable phrases: exceedingly sorry; told to their lord.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Matthew 18:31 mean to you, today?
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