Luke 7 47

Luke 7:47 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.

Luke 7:47 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."

Luke 7:47 niv

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven?as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Luke 7:47 esv

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven ? for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."

Luke 7:47 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."

Luke 7 verses

Luke 7 47 Meaning

Luke 7:47 declares that the many sins of the woman were forgiven because her great love demonstrated the extent of the forgiveness she had received. This love was not the cause of her forgiveness but rather the evidence that much had been forgiven. Conversely, Jesus states that those who perceive themselves as having little to be forgiven, consequently show little love. This verse highlights the deep connection between experiencing God's profound grace and responding with overflowing love, contrasting the humble gratitude of the sinner with the spiritual pride of the self-righteous.

Luke 7 47 Context

Luke 7:47 concludes Jesus’ encounter in the house of Simon the Pharisee, following the controversial act of a "sinful woman" (likely a known prostitute) anointing Jesus' feet with costly perfume, weeping, and wiping them with her hair. Simon, inwardly condemning Jesus for allowing such a woman to touch him and questioning Jesus' prophetic insight, demonstrates no similar acts of hospitality (e.g., providing water for Jesus' feet, a kiss of greeting, or oil for his head) that were customary for honored guests.

Jesus then tells Simon the Parable of the Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-43), illustrating that one forgiven much will love much more than one forgiven little. He applies this parable directly to Simon and the woman. The woman, keenly aware of her many sins and overwhelmed by the unmerited grace she sensed from Jesus, poured out lavish acts of devotion and love. Simon, steeped in self-righteousness and feeling little need for forgiveness, displayed no such affection or devotion. The cultural context underscores the immense scandal of the woman's actions and Jesus' response, challenging the prevailing purity laws and the Pharisees' exclusive worldview that separated "sinners" from the "righteous."

Luke 7 47 Word analysis

• Therefore (Οὗ χάριν - Hou charin): This phrase serves as a transitional connector, often translated as "for this reason" or "because of which." It explicitly links Jesus' declaration in verse 47 to the preceding parable (verses 41-43) and the woman's actions, indicating that what follows is a conclusion drawn from those events. It’s not just a casual "so" but points to the logical outcome.
• I tell you (λέγω σοι - legō soi): A direct, authoritative statement from Jesus. It signals a pronouncement of truth, akin to His "Truly, truly, I say to you" statements, indicating certainty and importance.
• her many sins (αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί - hai hamartiai autēs hai pollai):
  • sins (ἁμαρτίαι - hamartiai): The plural indicates multiple offenses, "missing the mark" morally and ethically, violating God's law. In the cultural context, this would include public transgressions, confirming her "sinful" reputation.
  • many (πολλαί - pollai): Emphasizes the multiplicity and severity of her offenses, setting a clear contrast with Simon's perceived "little" debt. The "many" implies she was notorious.
• have been forgiven (ἀφέωνται - apheōntai): This is a Greek perfect passive indicative verb, implying a completed action with lasting results. The forgiveness has already occurred, and its effect remains. The passive voice indicates that the action of forgiving comes from an external agent (God, through Jesus). This verb choice is crucial; it underscores that her love resulted from forgiveness, not earned it.
• for (ὅτι - hoti): This is the crucial conjunction. In this context, given the preceding parable, "for" introduces the evidence or proof of her forgiveness, not its cause. Her great love demonstrates that great forgiveness had already taken place. It translates as "because" or "in that." The parable clearly shows forgiveness preceding love, so her "much love" indicates the "much forgiveness" she had received.
• she loved much (ἠγάπησεν πολύ - ēgapēsen polu):
  • loved (ἠγάπησεν - ēgapēsen): From agapaō, signifying deep, selfless, often unconditional love, distinct from mere affection (phileō) or physical desire (erōs). This type of love is characteristic of divine love and sacrificial human love, manifesting in her costly actions (perfume, tears, hair).
  • much (πολύ - polu): Corresponds directly to her "many" sins and the "greater debt" in the parable. It quantifies the overflowing nature of her devotion.
• But he who has been forgiven little (ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται - hō de oligon aphietai):
  • he who (ᾧ - hō): Refers to Simon, embodying the person who considers himself less sinful.
  • has been forgiven (ἀφίεται - aphietai): Present tense, implying ongoing or general state of being forgiven. The structure implies a reciprocal relationship: perceived little sin, little perceived need for forgiveness, little received (or recognized) forgiveness, resulting in little love.
  • little (ὀλίγον - oligon): Denotes smallness in quantity. This does not imply Simon actually had little sin in God's eyes, but that he perceived himself as having little need for forgiveness compared to the woman. This spiritual blindness prevented him from fully experiencing or acknowledging God's abundant grace.
• loves little (ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ - oligon agapa): The inverse of the first clause, demonstrating the proportionate relationship. A limited perception of one's sin and God's grace leads to a restrained, inadequate expression of love.

Luke 7 47 Bonus section

The misunderstanding of Luke 7:47 ("she loved much, for she was forgiven much") as "she loved much, so she was forgiven much" would imply salvation by works or by a quantity of emotion, which directly contradicts the Gospel's teaching on grace through faith. Jesus' parable preceding this verse precisely prevents this misinterpretation by setting up the causal relationship correctly: the more debt forgiven, the greater the love for the forgiver. This episode provides a potent demonstration of how Christ welcomes repentant sinners and how genuine repentance leads to passionate devotion. It also underscores Jesus' divine authority to forgive sins, a power traditionally reserved for God alone, challenging the Pharisees' understanding of the Messiah. The story serves as a mirror for all who would approach God: Are we like Simon, spiritually blinded by self-righteousness, or like the woman, humbled by sin and overflowing with gratitude for grace?

Luke 7 47 Commentary

Luke 7:47 offers a profound theological insight into the nature of forgiveness and its reciprocal relationship with love. It unequivocally teaches that deep love for God is a consequence of recognizing and experiencing the vastness of His forgiveness, not a precondition for receiving it. The woman, whose public actions labeled her a profound sinner, implicitly understood her need for salvation and found it in Jesus. Her lavish display of love—wiping Jesus' feet with her tears and hair, anointing them with costly ointment—was a visceral expression of profound gratitude. These were not works to earn forgiveness, but rather overwhelming evidence that she had been forgiven much.

In stark contrast, Simon the Pharisee, though outwardly righteous, revealed his spiritual deficiency. He perceived himself as owing little to God, embodying the parable's "five hundred denarii" debtor. Because he lacked awareness of his own deep need for divine grace and saw himself as comparatively righteous, he had little capacity for the deep love and worship shown by the woman. His judgment of the woman and Jesus exposed his own self-righteous heart and lack of humility, demonstrating a minimal response to God’s mercy.

This verse therefore stands as a challenge to self-righteousness, emphasizing that an honest recognition of one's own sinfulness is foundational to truly appreciating and responding to God's boundless grace. It’s a call to profound humility before God, leading to authentic, overflowing love. The more one comprehends the depth of their sin and the magnitude of Christ's sacrifice, the greater will be their love and devotion.

Example: A person saved from immense debt expresses overwhelming gratitude and loyalty to their benefactor. Another person, who feels they had only a small loan repaid, feels only mild appreciation. The scale of the gift received determines the scale of the gratitude shown.