And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Parallel translations
- WEB When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”
- BSB When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”
- NKJV And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
- NASB When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?”
- NLT But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
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
Unable to pay, both debtors are forgiven, and Jesus asks which will love the lender more. The question presses Simon toward the lesson on gratitude.
Overview
The lender's free forgiveness of both debts pictures God's grace toward those who cannot pay their debt of sin. Jesus' question invites Simon to recognize that greater forgiveness perceived produces greater love. This points to the gospel, where God graciously cancels the unpayable debt of sinners through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Rom 3:24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
- Isa 43:25I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
- Isa 44:22I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
- Dan 9:18–19O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
- Mic 7:18–20Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
- Acts 13:38–39Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
- Gal 3:10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
- Eph 4:32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
- Eph 1:7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
- Col 3:13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
- Ps 49:7–8None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
- Ps 32:1–5Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
- Ps 51:1–3Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
- Ps 103:3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
- Jer 31:33–34But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
- Matt 18:25–26But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
- Matt 18:34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
- Rom 5:6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
- Rom 4:5–8But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
- Matt 6:12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
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 7:42 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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