God’s Word Translation
Matthew 18:22
22Jesus answered him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Context of Matthew 18:22
20Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.” 21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “Lord, how often do I have to forgive a believer who wrongs me? Seven times?” Jesus answered him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy times seven. 23“That is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began to do this, a servant who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him.
Read all of Matthew 18Matthew 18:22 word by word
Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· οὐ λέγω σοι ἕως ἑπτάκις ἀλλ᾽ ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- notοὐou · noG3756
- unto theeσύsu · youG4771
- Untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- seven timesἑπτάκιςheptakis · seven timesG2034
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- seventy timesἑβδομηκοντάκιςhebdomēkontakis · seventy timesG1441
- sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
Cross-references for Matthew 18:22
- Matthew 6:11Give us our daily bread today.
- Isaiah 55:7Let wicked people abandon their ways. Let evil people abandon their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will show compassion to them. Let them return to our God, because he will freely forgive them.
- Micah 7:19You will again have compassion on us. You will overcome our wrongdoing. You will throw all our sins into the deep sea.
- Mark 11:25Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”
- Romans 12:21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil with good.
- Ephesians 4:26Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry.
- Ephesians 5:1Imitate God, since you are the children he loves.
- Colossians 3:13Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- 1 Timothy 2:8I want men to offer prayers everywhere. They should raise their hands in prayer after putting aside their anger and any quarrels they have with anyone.
Commentaries on Matthew 18:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Seventy times seven - There is something very remarkable in these words, especially if collated with Genesis 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 Matthew 5:7, and on Matthew…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Till seven times? - The Jews caught that a man was to forgive another three times, but not the fourth. Peter more than doubled this, and asked whether forgiveness was to be exercised to so great an extent. I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven - The meaning is, that we are not to limit our forgiveness to any fixed number of times. See Genesis 4:24. As often as a brother injures us and asks forgiveness, we are to forgive…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-35Verses 21-35 Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable: 1. The master's wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin, to be sold as a slave. It is the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Seventy-seven times: sus teaches that forgiveness should have no limit. His followers must forgive sincerely, not only in words but also in attitude and actions (Matthew 18:35; see also Genesis 4:23–24).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. 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. (See on Lu 17:3, 4).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 18:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 18
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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