Matthew 18:22

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]

Matthew 18:22 in Other Translations

KJV
22 Jesus saith unto him,I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
ESV
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
NLT
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
MSG
22 Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.
CSB
22 "I tell you, not as many as seven," Jesus said to him, "but 70 times seven.

Matthew 18:22 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 18:22

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee
Which is as if he had said, observe what I am about to say, I do not agree to what thou sayest to fix the number, "until seven times only", but

until seventy times seven;
a certain number for an uncertain, see ( Genesis 4:24 ) . Christ's meaning is, that a man should be all the days, and every day of his life, forgiving those that sin against him, as often as they repent and acknowledge their fault; and that no time is to be set for the exercise of the grace of forgiveness; but as often as there are objects and occasions, though ever so many and frequent, it should be used; and which he illustrates by the following parable.

Matthew 18:22 In-Context

20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of goldwas brought to him.

Related Articles

Cross References 1

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "seventy times seven"
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.