Luke 17 · Verse 4

Luke 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, King James Version

Luke 17:4 in other translations

BSBEven if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
WEBIf he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
ASVAnd if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
YLTand if seven times in the day he may sin against thee, and seven times in the day may turn back to thee, saying, I reform; thou shalt forgive him.'
DARBYAnd if he should sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times should return to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.
BBEAnd if he does you wrong seven times in a day, and seven times comes to you and says, I have regret for what I have done; let him have forgiveness.
WebsterAnd if he shall trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day shall turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

What does Luke 17:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 17:3-4

3-4. (See on Mt 18:15-17; Mt 18:21, 22).

Read the full comment on Luke 17:3-4 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4.

(c) "thou shalt forgive him" Mt 6:12,14, Col 3:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 17:1-10

It is no abatement of their guilt by whom an offence comes, nor will it lessen their punishment that offences will come. Faith in God's pardoning mercy, will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties in the way of forgiving our brethren. As with God nothing is impossible, so all things are possible to him that can believe. Our Lord showed his disciples their need of deep humility. The Lord has such a property…

Read the full comment on Luke 17:1-10 →

Luke 17:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἐὰνeanifG1437
ἑπτάκιςheptakisseven timesG2034
τῆςtēsin theG3588
ἡμέραςhēmerasdayG2250
ἁμαρτήσῃhamartēsēhe shall sinG264
εἰςeisagainstG1519
σὲseyouG4771
καὶkaiandG2532
ἑπτάκιςheptakisseven timesG2034
ἐπιστρέψῃepistrepsēshall returnG1994
πρὸςprostoG4314
σὲseyouG4771
λέγων·legōnsaying:G3004
μετανοῶ,metanoōI repent,G3340
ἀφήσειςaphēseisyou will forgiveG863
αὐτῷ.¶autōhim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 17:4

  • Colossians 3:12-13

    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

  • Matthew 18:21-22

    Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

  • Romans 12:20

    Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

  • Matthew 6:14-15

    For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

  • Matthew 6:12

    And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

  • Matthew 18:35

    So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

  • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

    Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

  • Matthew 5:44

    But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

  • Matthew 18:16

    But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

  • Ephesians 4:31-32

    Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:13-14

    But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if.
Mt 18:21,22,35; 1Co 13:4-7; Eph 4:31,32; Col 3:12,13
I repent.
Mt 5:44; 6:12,14,15; 18:16; Ro 12:20; 2Th 3:13,14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 17:3

    Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

  • Luke 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 17:5

    And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Read all of Luke 17

Luke 17:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y si siete veces al día pecare contra ti, y siete veces al día se volviere á ti, diciendo, pésame, perdónale.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et si sept fois le jour il pèche contre toi, et que sept fois il retourne à toi, disant: Je me repens, tu lui pardonneras.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und wenn er siebenmal des Tages an dir sündigt und siebenmal zu dir umkehrt und spricht: Ich bereue es, so sollst du ihm vergeben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et si septies in die peccaverit in te, et septies in die conversus fuerit ad te, dicens: Pœnitet me, dimitte illi.