and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just say to forgive someone who says they repent; it emphasizes that the act of turning back and the declaration "I repent" are the triggers for your forgiveness. It’s about receiving the person as if the offense never happened, once they acknowledge their wrongdoing and turn back.
and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This teaching on forgiveness follows Jesus' strong warning about causing others to stumble, emphasizing that the consequences of sin are serious. Peter then asks how often he should forgive someone who sins against him, prompting Jesus to respond with this command to forgive repeatedly, even if it happens multiple times a day, as long as the offender shows genuine repentance. This is part of a larger section where Jesus instructs his disciples on living according to God's kingdom, which requires a radical, grace-filled approach to relationships.
Ever felt like you've forgiven someone 'enough'? Jesus sets a different standard, one that challenges our natural limits.
Jesus uses the number 'seven' here not as a strict count, but as a symbol of completeness and abundance. The real key isn't the number of times someone sins, but the sincerity of their repentance.
What 'Repent' Really Means
When the verse says 'saying, ‘I repent,’' it points to a genuine turning away from sin and a turning back towards God and the person wronged. It's an acknowledgment of wrongdoing and a desire for reconciliation.
The Depth of Divine Forgiveness
Our human tendency is to keep score. We might forgive three times, or maybe seven, but then we feel justified in stopping. Jesus' teaching, echoing in passages like Matthew 18:22 ('seventy-seven times'), pushes us to reflect a divine standard: forgiveness that is as boundless as God's own.
What happens to the relationship when we forgive? Jesus shows us that true forgiveness aims at healing.
The phrase 'turns to you' is crucial. It's not just about a verbal apology; it signifies a change of direction, a movement back towards the person wronged. This turning is what makes forgiveness possible and meaningful.
Healing for Both Parties
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When someone sincerely repents and turns back, their repentance and your forgiveness work together to heal the breach. The offender’s mind is set right, and the offended person’s heart is relieved of the burden of resentment. It’s a mutual restoration.
Beyond Temporary Peace
This isn't about simply papering over cracks. It’s about allowing the grace of God to mend what sin has broken. The goal is a restored relationship, where the offender is received 'just as if he had never sinned against thee,' as Wesley notes, provided the repentance is genuine.
Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, up to seven times, and Jesus responds with the famous 'seventy times seven,' emphasizing a boundless and unconditional forgiveness that mirrors the spirit of Luke 17:4.
Colossians 3:13This passage directly instructs believers to 'bear with each other and forgive one another if anyone has a complaint against someone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive,' highlighting the divine pattern for our own forgiveness.
Ephesians 4:32Paul echoes the sentiment of Luke 17:4 by urging believers to 'be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,' linking our acts of forgiveness to God's own graciousness.
Proverbs 24:16While not directly about interpersonal forgiveness, this verse speaks of a righteous person falling seven times and rising again, which can be seen as a parallel to the repeated repentance and restoration implied in Luke 17:4.
gillLuke 17:4: "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day,.... For good men are frequently apt to fall into sin, and offend both God and man; see Proverbs 24:16 "and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent"; as often as he sins, and appears to be truly sensible of it, and humble for it, and makes acknowledgments of it; and not onl…
bengelLuke 17:4: "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
Luke 17:4 . Τῆς ἡμέρας , in the day ) This passage many misapply, by erroneously connecting the idea with that in Proverbs 24:16 [A just man falleth seven times and riseth up again”] as if the just man fell seven times a day , and that, too, into sins .— ἐπιστρέψῇ , turn himself again ) In antithesis to ἁμαρτήσῃ , if he shall have trespassed .…
The verse doesn't just say to forgive someone who says they repent; it emphasizes that the act of turning back and the declaration "I repent" are the triggers for your forgiveness. It’s about receiving the person as if the offense never happened, once they acknowledge their wrongdoing and turn back.
This teaching on forgiveness follows Jesus' strong warning about causing others to stumble, emphasizing that the consequences of sin are serious. Peter then asks how often he should forgive someone who sins against him, prompting Jesus to respond with this command to forgive repeatedly, even if it happens multiple times a day, as long as the offender shows genuine repentance. This is part of a larger section where Jesus instructs his disciples on living according to God's kingdom, which requires a radical, grace-filled approach to relationships.
This teaching on forgiveness follows Jesus' strong warning about causing others to stumble, emphasizing that the consequences of sin are serious. Peter then asks how often he should forgive someone who sins against him, prompting Jesus to respond with this command to forgive repeatedly, even if it happens multiple times a day, as long as the offender shows genuine repentance. This is part of a larger section where Jesus instructs his disciples on living according to God's kingdom, which requires a radical, grace-filled approach to relationships.
"and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”" — The verse doesn't just say to forgive someone who says they repent; it emphasizes that the act of turning back and the declaration "I repent" are the triggers for your forgiveness. It’s about rec…
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Last reviewed October 2026