The parable teaches that forgiven people become forgiving people

Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

This can be translated two legitimate ways:

Option 1 — “Seventy times seven”

• Either translation works because the story’s meaning is symbolic, not arithmetic.
  
• This yields: 70 × 7 = 490 times
  • Used by: KJV, NKJV, NASB 1995, CSB

Option 2 — “Seventy-seven times”

• This yields: 70 + 7 = 77
  • Used by: ESV, NIV, NLT, NASB 2020

Both translations are grammatically allowed so “Stop counting. Forgive endlessly.”

Matthew 18:32-34 (NLT)

32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.

33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’

34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters£ from your heart.”