Greek word · G2034

ἑπτάκις

heptakis

seven times

Seven times. In Jewish usage seven carries the sense of completeness or fullness (seven days of creation, the sabbath, the sevenfold sprinkling of blood in Lev 4:6; 16:14).

Appears 4 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐπτάκις

adv.,

seven times: Matthew 18:21-22, Luke 17:4.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 18:21

Range of meaning

Seven times. In Jewish usage seven carries the sense of completeness or fullness (seven days of creation, the sabbath, the sevenfold sprinkling of blood in Lev 4:6; 16:14).

Against the English

Every version says “seven times.” What English readers may miss is that seven was a symbolic number, not just a quantity.

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 24:16 (“the righteous falls seven times and rises again”); Ps 119:164 (praising “seven times a day”); Lev 26:18–28 (punishment “sevenfold”); Gen 4:15, 24 (Cain avenged sevenfold, Lamech “seventy-sevenfold,” which in the Greek Old Testament is ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά, the same phrase Jesus uses in v. 22). Luke 17:4 has “seven times in a day.”

From the study of Luke 17:4

Range of meaning

'Seven times'. In Israel's Scriptures seven stood for completeness and fullness, so 'seven times' often means 'fully, again and again, as often as it happens'.

Against the English

English readers may take 'seven' literally and count, and some read it as a limit ('after seven, I'm done'). In context it pictures an unlimited number. People also mix it up with Matthew's 'seventy-seven times' or 'seventy times seven' (Matt 18:22), which is a separate saying with its own number.

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 24:16: 'a righteous man falls seven times and rises again'. Ps 119:164: 'seven times a day I praise you', which is close to Luke's 'seven times a day' as a picture of constant repetition. In Gen 4:15, 24, Cain is avenged sevenfold and Lamech seventy-sevenfold. Matthew 18:22 echoes the Lamech line word for word in the Greek. Luke may be faintly turning the same 'sevenfold vengeance' around into sevenfold forgiveness, but the link is much less certain in Luke than in Matthew.

From the study of Matthew 18:22

Range of meaning

"Seven times." In biblical idiom seven often means a full or complete amount (Lev 26:18; Ps 119:164; Prov 24:16).

Against the English

Translated uniformly as "seven times." BSB adds "just" ("not just seven times") to bring out the contrast.

Used elsewhere in the period

Septuagint Genesis 4:15, 24 (Cain avenged "sevenfold"); Leviticus 26:18–28 ("seven times" for punishment); Proverbs 24:16 (the righteous falls seven times and rises). Luke 17:4 has Jesus say to forgive a brother who sins "seven times in a day" and repents seven times.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 18:21 ἑπτάκις;¶ seven times?

    Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

    Here: In Jewish thought seven is the number of completeness, so Peter is probably offering what he sees as a generous, “complete” amount of forgiveness. Jesus answers with the same number made huge (v. 22).

  2. Matthew 18:22 ἑπτάκις seven times

    Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

    Here: Peter's number, repeated back to him. Seven is the number of completeness in Scripture, so Peter probably thought his offer was generous, even complete.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 17:4 ἑπτάκις ἑπτάκις seven times

    Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

    Here: Seven was the number of fullness. 'Seven times in one day' is an exaggerated picture of the same person wronging you over and over without end. It is not a quota to count.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.