Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
- KJV Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
- NKJV Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
- NASB For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”
- NLT “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”
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
Jesus declares the woman's many sins forgiven, evidenced by her great love, while one forgiven little loves little. Love flows from forgiveness received.
Overview
Jesus explains that her abundant love is the fruit and proof, not the cause, of her forgiveness, which is received by faith (v. 50). Simon's small love betrays his failure to grasp his own need of grace. This verse beautifully displays the gospel logic: those who know the depth of Christ's pardon respond with deep, grateful love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- 1 Jn 4:19We love because He first loved us.
- 1 Jn 3:18Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
- Isa 1:18“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
- Rom 5:20The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
- John 21:15–17When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
- Eph 6:24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
- Isa 55:7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
- 1 Cor 6:9–11Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
- 1 Tim 1:14And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
- Luke 5:20–21When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
- Acts 5:31God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
- Phil 1:9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
- 1 Jn 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
- Matt 10:37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- Mic 7:19He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea.
- Luke 7:39When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
- Luke 7:42–43When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”
- 1 Jn 1:7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- 2 Cor 5:14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.
- Exod 34:6–7Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
- Ezek 36:29–32I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine upon you.
- Ezek 16:63so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”
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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 7:47 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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