Talk:77 times
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It may just be me, but I've never heard this before, and it seems like it'd be a fairly niche and Christian reference. Even then, how can we verify that the definition is used to refer to "an unlimited number" instead of just literally 77? -/ut͡ʃxʎørnɛja ☭/ (탁ᷞ, кон-, ឯឌឹត្ស, 𐎛𐎓𐎄𐎛𐎚𐎒). 15:17, 5 August 2019 (UTC).
- Speedied, created by an IP editor known for adding "creative" entries. — surjection ⟨?⟩ 15:30, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
- I vaguely recall that the Bible uses one or more numbers like this to indicate a very large number. But we wouldn't want to sully our secular self-image by including such things. DCDuring (talk) 18:36, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
- Here is an example of the use, taken from a 19th century sermon:
- Our Lord has illustrated the subject by a most affecting parable: and he requires us to forgive our brethren, not only "till "seven times, but till seventy times seven:" yea, seven times a day
- Do [[seven]] and/or [[seventy]] have this sense? If so, we should delete it ASAP because it's too Christian. DCDuring (talk) 18:41, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
- Here is an example of the use, taken from a 19th century sermon:
- I vaguely recall that the Bible uses one or more numbers like this to indicate a very large number. But we wouldn't want to sully our secular self-image by including such things. DCDuring (talk) 18:36, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
- "Seventy times seven" is not 77. Equinox ◑ 18:43, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
- Actually, Equinox, that line is translated differently depending upon whether the translator believes that that line may be alluding to a line from the Book of Genesis or not. "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold". Tharthan (talk) 20:53, 8 August 2019 (UTC)
- "Seventy times seven" is not 77. Equinox ◑ 18:43, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
- Matthew 18:22 has Jesus saying “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Clearly, that is not intended to be taken literally but supposed to stand for a large number. A problem is that the Koine Greek expression used, ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά, is ambiguous. The KJV translates it as “seventy times seven”. See also this discussion. I think it would be unusual, though, to denote the numeral in decimal notation; in the form seventy-seven times the phrase may be attestable. --Lambiam 18:12, 7 August 2019 (UTC)