Are debts forgiven after 7 years in the Bible?

Asked by: Ms. Antonietta Zboncak  |  Last update: February 12, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (49 votes)

Bible Gateway Deuteronomy 15 :: NIV. At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

Does the Bible say to forgive debt every 7 years?

Deuteronomy 15:1-2 New Living Translation (NLT)

At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money. This is how it must be done.

What is the 7 year forgiveness of debt?

At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD's release.

What happens every 7 years in the Bible?

In Leviticus 25, we find the first reference to Jubilee, as part of the law given by Yahweh to the Israelites. These verses describe God's intent that the Israelites should remain free from slavery for all time by instituting a Sabbath year every seven years.

Where in the Bible does it talk about forgiving debts?

Proverbs 22:26 - Do not become guarantors for debts. Matthew 6:12 - Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 18:27, 30, 32, 34 - Forgive because your debts have been forgiven. Luke 7:42-43 - He who is forgiven much (debt) loves much; he who is forgiven little (debt) loves little.

Is Financial DEBT Forgiveness in the Bible?

30 related questions found

How often was debt forgiven in the Bible?

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.

What does the Bible say about the 7th year?

But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.

What is the 7-year warning in the Bible?

The 7-year tribulation is when Satan will make one final attempt to steal God's throne before he is forever overthrown. This time is marked by great troubles. In other words, it's going to get worse before it gets better—but there is a better coming.

What is the Jubilee debt forgiveness in the Bible?

The Debt Jubilee Project is named after and often-forgotten requirement in Leviticus -- that every fiftieth year, there would be a religious Year of Jubilee, where all debts would be forgiven and all slaves freed. Check out Leviticus 25, which ordains a sabbath year, one in every seven (Lev.

What is special about 7 years?

Seven-year-olds also experience a newfound capacity for empathy, allowing them to understand the feelings of others and sometimes even to hide the truth to protect themselves or others. Children at this age develop a dichotomous perspective of good and bad, leading to an inflexible sense of right and wrong.

What happens after 7 years of not paying debt?

In general, most debt will fall off your credit report after seven years, but some types of debt can stay for up to 10 years or even indefinitely. Certain types of debt or derogatory marks, such as tax liens and paid medical debt collections, will not typically show up on your credit report.

What is the debt forgiveness rule?

In simple terms, the debt forgiveness rules apply when a “commercial debt obligation” has been settled for an amount that is less than the full amount owing (i.e., the “forgiven amount”). A commercial debt obligation is generally a debt obligation on which interest, if charged, is deductible in computing income.

What does the Bible say about paying your debts?

The Bible makes it clear that people are generally expected to pay their debts. Leviticus 25:39. No one will or should advance any argument against this general proposition.

What debt is forgiven after 7 years?

Although the unpaid debt will go on your credit report and have a negative impact on your score, the good news is that it won't last forever. After seven years, unpaid credit card debt falls off your credit report. The debt doesn't vanish completely, but it'll no longer impact your credit score.

What is the 7 year release in the Bible?

Every seven years, all debts are to be released—The people are admonished to care for the poor—Hebrew servants are to be released and given gifts during the seventh year—The firstling males of herds and flocks are the Lord's. 1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

Is there a limit to forgiveness in the Bible?

God's forgiveness has no line. God's forgiveness is limitless and available to all people.

What did Jesus say about debt forgiveness?

Similarly, in Deuteronomy 15, God says that every seven years, creditors should “remit the claim that is held against a neighbor” because “the Lord's remission has been proclaimed.” In the New Testament, Jesus instructs his followers to pray “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12, ...

What does the year 2025 mean biblically?

The Holy Father has decided that 2025 will be a year of Jubilee, something which happens every 25 years. The theme is “Pilgrims of Hope”, and it will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of COVID-19 pandemic, and a climate crisis.

What does 7 years mean to God?

7 is the number of perfection according to God for on Day 7 He rested from all His works. So 7 years means, a resting for God's people.

What happens after 7 year tribulation?

The Second coming is after 7 years of tribulation, when Jesus returns to Earth and defeats the Antichrist to overthrow evil.

What does Revelation 17 mean in the Bible?

This chapter contains another representation of those things that had been revealed before concerning the wickedness and ruin of antichrist. This antichrist had been before represented as a beast, and is now described as a great whore.

What is the 7 year tithe cycle?

The tithe system was organized in a seven-year cycle, the seventh-year corresponding to the Shemittah-cycle in which year tithes were broken-off, and in every third and sixth-year of this cycle the second tithe replaced with the poor man's tithe.

What does the number 7 represent biblically?

What is the Meaning of the Number 7 in the Bible? The number 7 is quite significant in the Bible, appearing over 700 times throughout both the Old and New Testaments. In biblical numerology, 7 symbolizes completion or perfection. It is said that God created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th.

Where in the Bible does it say it will take 7 years to bury the dead?

Ezekiel 39:12-29 Amplified Bible (AMP)

For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. Yes, all the people of the land will bury them; and it will be to their renown on the day that I appear in My glory and brilliance,” says the Lord GOD.