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.
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.”
- BSB Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves 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 him, because he first loved us.
- 1 Jn 3:18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
- Isa 1:18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
- Gal 5:6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
- Rom 5:20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
- John 21:15–17So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
- Eph 6:24Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
- Isa 55:7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
- 1 Cor 6:9–11Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
- 1 Tim 1:14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
- Luke 5:20–21And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
- Acts 5:31Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
- Phil 1:9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
- 1 Jn 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
- Matt 10:37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- Mic 7:19He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
- Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
- Luke 7:42–43And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
- 1 Jn 1:7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
- 2 Cor 5:14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
- Exod 34:6–7And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
- Ezek 36:29–32I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.
- Ezek 16:63That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith 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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