Luke 17:4

If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

BSB

Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must 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.

ASV

And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

BBE

And if he does you wrong seven times in a day, and seven times comes to you and says, I have regret for what I have done; let him have forgiveness.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 ἐὰν ean if G1437 ἑπτάκις heptakis seven times G2034 τῆς tēs in the G3588 ἡμέρας hēmeras day G2250 ἁμαρτήσῃ hamartēsē he shall sin G264 εἰς eis against G1519 σὲ se you G4771 καὶ kai and G2532 ἑπτάκις heptakis seven times G2034 τῆς tēs (the) G3588 ἡμέρας hēmeras day G2250 ἐπιστρέψῃ epistrepsē shall return G1994 πρὸς pros to G4314 σὲ se you G4771 λέγων legōn saying G3004 μετανοῶ metanoō I repent G3340 ἀφήσεις aphēseis you will forgive G863 αὐτῷ.¶ autō him G846

The early church

Or this number is used because God rested on the seventh day from His works. After the seventh day of the world everlasting rest is promised us, that as the evil works of that world shall then cease, so also may the sharpness of punishment be abated.
Ambrose of Milan · d. 397Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
But we must mark, that He does not bid us forgive every one who sins, but him only who repents of his sins. For by taking this course we may avoid offences, hurting no one, correcting the sinner with a righteous zeal, extending the bowels of mercy to the penitent. By using the number seven He assigns no bound to the giving of pardon, but commands us either to forgive all sins, or always to forgive the penitent. For by seven the whole of any thing or time is frequently represented.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
As if He says, Offences must needs come; but it does not follow that you must perish, if only you be on your guard: as it need not that the sheep should perish when the wolf comes, if the shepherd is watching. And since there are great varieties of offenders, (for some are incurable, some are curable,) He therefore adds, If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. But some one may well ask, If when I have several times forgiven my brother he again trespass against me, what must I do with him? In answer therefore to this question He adds, And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; forgive him.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–10

It is no abatement of their guilt by whom an offence comes, nor will it lessen their punishment that offences will come. Faith in God's pardoning mercy, will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties in the way of forgiving our brethren. As with God nothing is impossible, so all things are possible to him that can believe. Our Lord showed his disciples their need of deep humility. The Lord has such a property in every creature, as no man can have in another; he cannot be in debt to them for their services, nor do they deserve any return from him.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 17 →

Cross-references

11

Topics

ReproofForgivenessCharitablenessTrespass

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.