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MATTHEW 18:21 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 18:20Matt 18:22
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”
Then Peter came up and said to him: Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Peter's question about the limits of forgiveness — as many as seven times — is a generous offer by the standards of the day (some rabbinic traditions limited the obligation to three times). The seven is probably chosen as the number of completeness: surely complete forgiveness means seven times.

Church Fathers on Matthew 18:21

The Lord had said above, 'See that ye despise not one of these little ones,' and had added, 'If thy brother sin against thee, &c.' making also a promise, 'If two of you, &c.' by which the Apostle Peter was led to ask, 'Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?' And to his question he adds an opinion, 'Until seven times?'

Jerome · 4th century

Peter thought that he had made a large allowance; but what answers Christ the Lover of men? it follows, 'Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven.'

Chrysostom · 4th century · Hom., lxi

I am bold to say, that if he shall sin seventy-eight times, thou shouldest forgive him; yea, and if a hundred; and how oft soever he sin against thee, forgive him. For if Christ found a thousand sins, yet forgave them all, do not you withdraw your forgiveness. For the Apostle says, 'Forgive one another, if any man hath a quarrel against any, even as God in Christ forgave you.' [Col 3:13]

Augustine · 4th century · Serm., 83, 3
Read all 8 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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