Luke 17:4 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.
Luke 17:4 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."
Luke 17:4 niv
Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them."
Luke 17:4 esv
and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."
Luke 17:4 nlt
Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive."
Luke 17 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 17:3 | If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. | Immediate context of rebuke and forgiveness. |
| Matt 18:21-22 | Peter said... How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. | Jesus expands on the idea of limitless forgiveness. |
| Matt 6:14-15 | For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. | Forgiveness of others linked to receiving divine forgiveness. |
| Col 3:13 | Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. | Calls believers to forgive as Christ forgave them. |
| Eph 4:32 | And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. | Exhortation to forgiveness based on God's example. |
| Mk 11:25 | And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. | Forgiveness as a prerequisite for effective prayer. |
| Lk 6:37 | Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. | Direct promise of reciprocal forgiveness from God. |
| 1 Pet 4:8 | And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. | Love as the foundational principle enabling forgiveness. |
| Jas 5:16 | Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. | Importance of mutual confession and restoration. |
| Prov 24:16 | For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. | "Seven times" used to imply perseverance, endurance. |
| Num 14:19 | Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. | Moses' plea for God's merciful forgiveness of Israel. |
| Ps 103:2-3 | Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases. | God's complete forgiveness as an attribute. |
| Jer 31:34 | ...for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. | God's promise of complete and eternal forgiveness under the new covenant. |
| Acts 3:19 | Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. | Connects repentance with the blotting out of sins. |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slack concerning his promise... but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. | God's patience leading to repentance. |
| Lk 24:47 | And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. | The core message of the Gospel. |
| Isa 55:7 | Let 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. | Call to repentance met with God's abundant pardon. |
| Mic 7:18 | Who 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. | God's unique nature as a forgiving God. |
| Matt 5:38-39 | Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil... | Jesus raising the standard beyond retributive justice. |
| Lk 17:5 | And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. | Disciples' reaction indicating the difficulty of this command. |
Luke 17 verses
Luke 17 4 Meaning
Luke 17:4 teaches disciples to forgive a fellow believer who repeatedly wrongs them, even "seven times in a day," provided that person turns to them each time, stating a change of heart or expressing repentance. This radical command emphasizes a persistent and limitless nature of forgiveness within the community of believers, exceeding human inclination and contemporary cultural norms, contingent upon genuine remorse.
Luke 17 4 Context
Luke 17:4 is part of a series of teachings given by Jesus to His disciples concerning the ethics of the Kingdom. The immediate context, Luke 17:1-4, begins with Jesus warning against causing others to stumble (Lk 17:1-2) and then shifts to the responsibility of individual believers concerning interpersonal sin and reconciliation within the community (Lk 17:3-4). The verse directly follows the instruction in Luke 17:3 to rebuke a sinning brother and forgive him if he repents. Verse 4 expands on this, addressing the frequency of such an offense and repentance. Historically, Jewish tradition often suggested forgiving only up to three times. Jesus' teaching radically challenges this limited view, pushing His followers towards a profound and active demonstration of mercy that reflects God's own forgiving nature. The disciples' subsequent request for increased faith (Lk 17:5) highlights the challenging nature of this command, recognizing it demands more than human capacity alone.
Luke 17 4 Word analysis
- And if he trespass: Greek "ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ" (ean hamartē). Hamartano (ἁμαρτάνω) means to miss the mark, err, or sin. The "he" refers to a fellow believer, or "brother" from verse 3, implying an offense within the community of faith. This specifies an actionable wrong that one person commits against another.
- against thee: The transgression is directly personal. This means the command requires forgiving a personal slight or harm, rather than a general offense against God (though all sin is ultimately against God).
- seven times: Greek "ἑπτάκις" (heptakis). The number seven often signifies completion or perfection in biblical numerology. Here, it functions hyperbolically, not as a limit but as a metaphor for an extremely high frequency, emphasizing the indefinite nature of forgiveness. It goes beyond the prevailing cultural and religious custom that suggested a limited number of pardons (e.g., three).
- in a day: Greek "τῆς ἡμέρας" (tēs hēmeras). This phrase underscores the immediacy and intensity of the situation. It suggests that such repeated offenses and repentances could hypothetically occur within a very short timeframe, amplifying the challenge of the command.
- and seven times in a day turn again to thee: Greek "καὶ ἑπτάκις ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς σέ" (kai heptakis epistrepsē pros se). Epistrephō (ἐπιστρέφω) means to turn around, return, or be converted. It denotes a change of direction, indicating the offending party comes back to the one wronged.
- saying, I repent: Greek "λέγων, Μετανοῶ" (legōn, Metanoō). Metanoeō (μετανοέω) means to change one's mind, feel remorse, or repent. This is the crucial condition for forgiveness. It is not about forgiving someone who is unrepentant or who plans to repeat the sin without remorse, but about responding to genuine contrition and a desire for reconciliation. True repentance is more than just saying "sorry"; it signifies a shift in disposition and intent.
- thou shalt forgive him: Greek "ἀφήσεις αὐτῷ" (aphēseis autō). Aphiēmi (ἀφίημι) means to let go, release, send away, or pardon. It is a divine command to release the individual from the personal grievance or moral debt owed for their offense. This implies actively choosing not to hold a grudge or seek retribution, mirroring God's release from sin.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "if he trespass... seven times in a day": This phrase sets up an extreme hypothetical scenario to test the disciple's willingness to forgive without limits. The focus is on the repeated nature of the offense.
- "turn again to thee, saying, I repent": This emphasizes the indispensable condition for forgiveness. It connects the act of seeking reconciliation ("turn again") with a verbal expression of contrition ("saying") and an internal transformation of mind ("I repent"). Without this stated repentance, the obligation to forgive as described here is not explicitly laid out.
- "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": This complete phrase demonstrates the high expectation for forgiveness within the Kingdom's ethics. The repetition of "seven times in a day" powerfully underlines the required perseverance and radical generosity in extending pardon, establishing that true repentance should always be met with immediate forgiveness.
Luke 17 4 Bonus section
The concept of "seven times" found in Luke is echoed and amplified in Matthew 18:22 where Jesus tells Peter to forgive "seventy times seven" (or "seventy-seven times," depending on translation), making it undeniably clear that the forgiveness required is without human limitation. Both iterations underscore God's expectation for continuous and complete forgiveness among believers. This teaching emphasizes restoration over retribution and patience over punitive measures, portraying the heart of God as willing to continually pardon the repentant. The very fact that the disciples asked for more faith in response to this command (Lk 17:5) reveals their immediate understanding that such an ethic of persistent, active forgiveness is not natural and requires supernatural enablement. This implies that the call to forgive radically is a call to a deeper dependence on God.
Luke 17 4 Commentary
Luke 17:4 presents a profoundly counter-cultural and counter-intuitive directive from Jesus, challenging the limited scope of human forgiveness. The hypothetical "seven times in a day" serves as hyperbole, not a precise number, signifying an indefinite and boundless capacity for forgiveness that God expects of His followers. It transcends legalistic approaches and highlights divine grace, demanding an extension of mercy regardless of the offense's frequency. However, this forgiveness is explicitly conditioned upon the offender's turning back with genuine repentance ("saying, I repent"). This crucial element prevents the teaching from promoting enablement of sin without remorse, emphasizing reconciliation rooted in changed hearts rather than mere tolerance of wrong. This passage implies that this divine level of forgiveness requires more than human effort, hence the disciples' subsequent plea for increased faith, underscoring the spiritual power necessary to embody such Christ-like compassion and mercy in daily interactions within the community. It means releasing grievances, abandoning revenge, and extending reconciliation repeatedly, fostering healing and restoration in relationships.
Examples for practical usage:
- A spouse forgives repeated hurtful words after genuine apologies.
- A friend offers forgiveness to another who repeatedly fails to keep promises but shows sincere remorse each time.
- Church members work through recurring conflicts by extending grace and forgiveness when repentance is shown.