Deuteronomy 15:3

3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.

Deuteronomy 15:3 in Other Translations

KJV
3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
ESV
3 Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release.
NLT
3 This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites—not to the foreigners living among you.
MSG
3 You may collect payment from foreigners, but whatever you have lent to your fellow Israelite you must write off.
CSB
3 You may collect [something] from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you.

Deuteronomy 15:3 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:3

Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again
Either on the seventh year, or after it:

but that which is thine with thy brother, thine hand shall release;
a debt that lies between them, where the one is the creditor, and the other debtor, the creditor shall freely and fully forgive the debtor. So those only are released or forgiven by the Lord who are his own, whom he has reserved for himself, or chosen to everlasting life; who are interested in the covenant of his grace, one article in which is the forgiveness of sins; and who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, a branch of which redemption is remission of sin; and who are called by grace, and believe in Christ, to whom pardon of sins is promised; but those who are foreigners and strangers, and are not the Lord's chosen, redeemed, and called people, have no share in this blessing of grace; nor such who are rich in their own esteem, and need nothing; but those who are poor and unable to pay their debts, and are sensible of their spiritual poverty, and apply to the Lord for the forgiveness of their sins.

Deuteronomy 15:3 In-Context

1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.
2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.
3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.
4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,
5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Genesis 31:15; Deuteronomy 23:20; Deuteronomy 28:12; Ruth 2:10
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