ἑπτάκις (heptakis)
heptakis
seven times
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adverb heptakis simply means "seven times." It is a straightforward numerical term used to specify an exact count rather than a general quantity. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, all within the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
This word anchors Peter’s question about forgiveness in Matthew 18:21 and Jesus’ response in both Matthew 18:22 and Luke 17:4. By using this precise term, the text highlights the literal number seven before Jesus expands the principle to seventy-seven times. The focus remains on the specific instruction given in those passages.
Its rarity in Scripture underscores its role as a marker for a complete cycle of forgiveness in that context. Translators consistently render it as "seven times," preserving the exact numerical limit Peter proposed.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word heptakis appears in Scripture to mark a specific count: seven times. Peter used it when asking Jesus about forgiveness, wondering if offering pardon seven times was enough. This number often signals completeness in biblical thought, yet Jesus did not stop at that limit. Instead, He pointed toward a much broader scope of mercy.
When we face repeated wrongs, this passage invites us to look beyond strict accounting. The text shows that forgiveness is not about keeping score up to a certain threshold. It is about opening our hearts repeatedly, even when others stumble often. This approach reflects the endless nature of grace rather than a rigid rule.
Understanding this term helps us see that God’s patience is not measured by human limits. We are called to extend kindness without counting every offense. This freedom from strict tallying allows relationships to heal and grow, grounded in the hope that mercy always has room for one more chance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- seven times3×
- seven times?1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἑπτάκις3×
- ἑπτάκις;¶1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 18:21
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
Peter uses heptakis to set a generous but finite limit for forgiveness, asking if seven repetitions are sufficient.
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Matthew 18:22
Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
Jesus responds by rejecting the seven-time boundary, replacing it with seventy-seven times to show that forgiveness should be abundant.
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Luke 17:4
If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
This verse applies the same numerical principle to a daily context, emphasizing that repeated repentance requires repeated forgiveness.