And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Parallel translations
- WEB and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
- BSB but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- NKJV but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- NASB but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- NLT But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God shows steadfast love to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments. His mercy far outweighs His judgment.
Overview
In contrast to the limited reach of judgment, God's covenant love extends to thousands of generations, revealing a God abounding in mercy. Love for God and obedience belong together. This faithful love finds its fullest expression in Christ, through whom God lavishes everlasting kindness on His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Deut 7:9Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
- John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
- 1 Jn 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
- Jer 32:39–40And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
- Deut 5:29O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
- Acts 2:39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
- Rom 11:28–29As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
- John 14:15If ye love me, keep my commandments.
- Deut 4:37And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;
- 1 Jn 4:19We love him, because he first loved us.
- 2 Jn 1:6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 20:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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