ἑβδομηκοντάκις (hebdomēkontakis)
hebdomēkontakis
seventy times
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adverb hebdēkontakis literally means "seventy times." In Matthew 18:22, Jesus uses it in response to Peter’s question about how often one should forgive a brother who sins against them. The text presents two readings here: some manuscripts read simply "seventy times," while others add "seven" to make it "seventy-seven times." This variation likely reflects the tension between a specific numerical limit and an expansive, almost boundless standard.
The word is built from hebdomēkonta, meaning seventy, with an adverbial suffix indicating frequency. In the Old Testament Greek translation (the Septuagint), the root number seventy appears in Genesis 4:24 regarding Lamech’s vengeance. By invoking such a high number, Jesus contrasts human calculation with divine generosity. The sources note that this usage points toward a forgiveness that is not merely frequent, but practically limitless.
Translators often render this phrase as "seventy times seven" or "seventy-seven times" to capture the sense of countless repetition. Rather than setting a new cap on forgiveness, Jesus uses the number to shatter the idea of keeping score. The emphasis lies in the boundless nature of mercy, moving beyond arithmetic into a posture of endless grace.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When Peter asked Jesus how often he should forgive someone who hurt him, he suggested a generous limit of seven times. Jesus’ response using this word moves the goalpost far beyond human calculation. It is not about keeping a tally sheet of offenses until you reach a safe number. Instead, it invites us into a posture of grace that refuses to keep score.
This teaching challenges the natural instinct to count wrongs and demand justice. By using such a high number, Jesus points toward a forgiveness that feels practically limitless. It is an invitation to release the burden of resentment and trust in God’s mercy, which covers our own failures just as we strive to cover the faults of others.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- seventy times1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἑβδομηκοντάκις1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 18:22
Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
Jesus uses this adverb to shatter Peter's attempt to set a numerical limit on forgiveness, replacing arithmetic with an attitude of boundless grace.