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Questions From Readers

● Did Jesus tell the apostle Peter to forgive seventy-seven (77) times, or seventy times seven (490)?—A. L., U.S.A.

This question is based on Matthew 18:21, 22. In the New World Translation those verses read: “Peter came up and said to [Jesus]: ‘Lord, how many times is my brother to sin against me and am I to forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him: ‘I say to you, not, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy-seven times.’”

As can be seen, in this modern and careful translation, Jesus tells Peter to forgive seventy-seven (77) times. And there are good reasons for this rendering. However, there is no need to be dogmatic as to Jesus’ answer. A noted professor of Greek, A. T. Robertson, observed: “It is not clear whether this idiom means seventy-seven or as the Revised Version has it (490 times).”

By taking note of Jesus’ answer as found in Greek manuscripts we can appreciate the problem. Christ’s reply was hebdomekontakis hepta, which is literally translated “seventy times seven.” The difficulty arises with the suffix kis added to the word for seventy, hebdomekonta. In Greek this suffix is used in two ways. It can be used as a multiple meaning ‘times.’ So ‘seven times seven’ (7 x 7) would be heptakis hepta. But kis can also be added as a suffix to indicate ‘times’ in the sense of occurrences or instances. For example, ‘How many times did the boy fall?’ ‘He fell seven times (heptakis).’ Hence, the problem is whether Jesus’ answer, “seventy times seven,” should be understood as ‘seventy times (multiplied by) seven’ or ‘seventy and seven times (occurrences).’

One reason for preferring the latter, and rendering it as in the New World Translation, is the form of Peter’s question. He did not use posas, meaning ‘how many?’ Rather, he asked posakis—‘how many times?’ Then he continued, ‘Up to heptakis?’ that is, ‘Up to seven times?’ Logically Jesus would respond in accord with Peter’s phraseology. He would answer, ‘Up to seventy-seven times.’

Lending additional weight to the rendering “seventy-seven times” is the account in Genesis 4:24. Jehovah had stated that he would avenge seven times any who harmed Cain. (Gen. 4:15) Later Cain’s descendant Lamech boastfully said: “If seven times Cain is to be avenged, then Lamech seventy times and seven.” (Gen. 4:24) The Hebrew text is exact in showing this as 70 times and 7, or 77 times. But what is an equivalent in Greek? The Greek Septuagint uses hebdomekontakis hepta. Since this is the precise expression found in Matthew 18:22, it suggests that “seventy-seven times” is the way Jesus’ reply to Peter should be rendered.

It might be added that it is quite possible that Christ had Lamech’s threat in mind. What a fine contrast Jesus’ words would be! Instead of being a braggart threatening vengeance seventy-seven times, a Christian should be the opposite, forgiving seventy-seven times. Jesus emphasized that we should not be hesitant to forgive, but liberal and ready to forgive. He said earlier: “Happy are the merciful, since they will be shown mercy.”—Matt. 5:7.