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Matthew 18:22

in Matthew 18

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.

KJV

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

This verse in Matthew 18

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Tertullian

On Modesty · Written before 220.

Who, moreover, was able to forgive sins? This is His alone prerogative: for "who remitteth sins but God alone? " and, of course, (who but He can remit) mortal sins, such as have been committed against Himself, and against His temple? For, as far as you are concerned, such as are chargeable with offence against you personally, you are commanded, in the person of Peter, to forgive even seventy times sevenfold.

This site's exposition

how oft shall my brother sin

on Matthew 18:21-22

Till seven times, Peter asks, likely thinking himself generous, since the rabbis of the period commonly taught a limit of three pardons for the same offense; Jesus answers until seventy times seven, a number the bench reads not as a new arithmetic ceiling to count toward but as the deliberate abolition of counting altogether. The phrase echoes Lamech's boast of seventy-and-sevenfold vengeance at Genesis 4:24, and the commentators note the reversal is exact: where the old song multiplied revenge without limit, the kingdom multiplies forgiveness without limit. The parable that follows in verse 23 answers Peter's question with a story rather than a number.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Seventy times seven - There is something very remarkable in these words, especially if collated with Gen 4:24, where the very same words are used - “If any man kill Lamech, he shall be avenged seventy times seven.” The just God punishes sin in an exemplary manner. Sinful man, who is exposed to the stroke of Divine justice, should be abundant in forgiveness, especially as the merciful only shall find mercy. See the note on Mat 5:7, and on Mat 6:14, Mat 6:15 (note). The sum seventy times seven makes four hundred and ninety.

on Matthew 18:21-35

In these verses the Lord Jesus deals with a deeply important subject, the forgiveness of injuries. We live in a wicked world, and it is vain to expect that we can escape ill-treatment, however carefully we may behave. To know how to conduct ourselves when we are ill-treated is of great moment to our souls. In the first place, the Lord Jesus lays it down as a general rule that we ought to forgive others to the uttermost. Peter put the question, “How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?”

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven--that is, so long as it shall be needed and sought: you are never to come to the point of refusing forgiveness sincerely asked.

The words behind it

13 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Colossians 3:13

    Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

    it leads to

    • Ephesians 4:32

      Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Matthew 6:14–15

      For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Mark 11:25

      And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”

    • James 2:13

      For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

    • Ephesians 4:2

      with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

  • Through

    Ephesians 4:31

    Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.

    it leads to

    • Colossians 3:8

      But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

    • Ecclesiastes 7:9

      Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

  • Through

    Mark 11:25

    And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”

    it leads to

    • Colossians 3:13

      Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Where this verse is studied

About Matthew

John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Tertullian, On Modesty.