Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Parallel translations
- WEB If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
- KJV And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
- NKJV And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
- NASB And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
- NLT Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
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
Even if a brother sins and repents seven times in a day, forgiveness must be extended each time. Forgiveness is to be generous and repeated.
Overview
The 'seven times' signals limitless, ungrudging forgiveness toward the genuinely repentant. Jesus calls His followers to mirror the boundless mercy of God. Because we have been forgiven so much in Christ, we are to forgive freely and again and again.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Col 3:12–13Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- Matt 18:21–22Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
- Rom 12:20On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
- Matt 6:14–15For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- Matt 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Matt 6:12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
- Eph 4:31–32Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
- Matt 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
- Matt 18:35That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
- 1 Cor 13:4–7Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- 2 Th 3:13–14But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 17:4 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.