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NASB | Matthew 18:22 Jesus *said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 18:22 Jesus answered him, "I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven. |
Bible Question: Jesus said If my brother offend me, I ought to forgive Him 70x7, does this mean that there is a limit to the amount of times i should forgive Him? |
Bible Answer: "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" The first brother conflict was with Cain and Able and it didn't end well. God said that if anyone did anything to Cain in revenge, God will avenge him 7 times. In Gen 4, Lemech says that he killed a young man for wounding him. He then says if Cain is avenged 7 times, then Lemech will be avenged 70 x 7 times. Where God would avenge Cain, Lemech would avenge himself. This started a chain of events that led to the Flood. When Peter asks if he should forgive 7 times, he is getting this from the Cain and Able story and God's statement. Jesus takes it the next step and repeats the opposite of Lemech's law. Not revenge, but forgive. Forgiveness ends the problem while revenge continues it and makes it worse. That is the way of the Kingdom of Life, the Kingdom of God. MJH |