Luke 7:47 Meaning and Explanation
“Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus declares her many sins forgiven, her great love bearing witness to it; one who is forgiven little loves little.
What Does Luke 7:47 Mean?
Jesus speaks the verdict: her sins, "which are many" — He does not minimize them — "are forgiven." Her great love is the evidence: as the parable taught, such love flows from great forgiveness received (vv. 41-43). Then the converse, aimed gently at Simon: the one forgiven little loves little.
Her tears were never a payment; they were a receipt. The parable's order holds — the canceled debt comes first, and the love follows and reveals it. The closing line performs quiet surgery: lovelessness toward Christ exposes how little forgiveness a heart has sought and tasted, not how little it needs. The cure for loving little is not trying harder but coming, like her, to be forgiven much.
Luke 7:47 in the Original Language
aphiemi (ἀφίημι), 'forgiven' -- to release, to send away a debt.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 7:47
What does Luke 7:47 mean?
Jesus declares her many sins forgiven, her great love bearing witness to it; one who is forgiven little loves little.