English Standard Version
Luke 7:42
42When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Luke 7:42 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
- New International Version (NIV)Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
Context of Luke 7:42
40And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Read all of Luke 7Luke 7:42 word by word
μὴ ἐχόντων αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. τίς οὖν αὐτῶν πλεῖον ἀγαπήσει αὐτόν;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- whenἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- nothingμήmē · notG3361
- to payἀποδίδωμιapodidōmi · to payG591
- he frankly forgaveχαρίζωcharizomai · to give graceG5483
- them bothἀμφότεροςamphoteros · bothG297
- Tell meλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- whichτίςtis · which?G5101
- will loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- mostπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
Cross-references for Luke 7:42
- Psalms 49:7Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
- Matthew 18:25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
- Romans 5:6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
- Galatians 3:10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."
- Psalms 32:1Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
- Psalms 51:1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
- Psalms 103:3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
- Isaiah 43:25"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
- Isaiah 44:22I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.
- Jeremiah 31:33For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
- Daniel 9:18O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
- Matthew 6:12and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
- Acts 13:38Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
- Romans 3:24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
- Romans 4:5And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Commentaries on Luke 7:42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 42Which of them will love him most? - Which is under the greater obligation and should love him most?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42Frankly forgave - Freely forgave, or forgave entirely without any compensation. This is not designed to express anything about the way in which God forgives sinners. He forgives - forgives freely, but it is in connection with the “atonement” made by the Lord Jesus. If it was a mere “debt” which we owed to God, he might forgive, as this creditor did, without an equivalent. But it is “crime” which he forgives. He pardons as a moral governor. A parent might…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-50Verses 36-50 None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character. But without…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-50What Jesus said in 7:35 is shown in this story by one of “wisdom’s children” (see study note on 7:35). She is a repentant sinner (a person who turns away from sin). She shows deep gratitude for the forgiveness she has received.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 40-4340-43. Like Nathan with David, our Lord conceals His home thrust under the veil of a parable, and makes His host himself pronounce upon the case. The two debtors are the woman and Simon; the criminality of the one was ten times that of the other (in the proportion of "five hundred" to "fifty"); but both being equally insolvent, both are with equal frankness forgiven; and Simon is made to own that the greatest debtor to forgiving mercy will cling to her…Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 7:42
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries