The What, How, and Why of Restitution

res·​ti·​tu·​tion (re-stə-ˈtü-shən)

An act of restoring or a condition of being restored: such as

: a restoration of something to its rightful owner

: a making good of or giving an equivalent for some injury[1]

 

When was the last time you heard or thought about restitution?

It has probably been a while, if not longer.

What does restitution have to do with the process of forgiveness? And why is it important?

Before we explore the ‘what,’ ‘how,’ and ‘why’ of restitution, here is a real scenario.

 

A tale of restitution

Over the years, I have had numerous conversations about restitution. Many of these discussion partners were not aware of restitution. Others did not think it was relevant.

Here is a summary of one of those conversations.

One person told me that, as a teenager, he had carefully peeled off the sticker for a lower-priced item and placed it on a more expensive item. When he took it to the till, the cashier questioned the amount. The young thief lied, confirming the sticker was right.

Years later, after the young man had received Christ, he recalled the incident and knew he had to do something about it. He could not let it pass.

With a degree of fear, he returned to the store and spoke with the manager. He told his story, confessing that it was wrong and that he wanted to make amends.

In response to the manager’s question, the young man estimated he had stolen $X,[2] which, back then, was a few hours’ labor.

“Pay that amount to a charity, and we’ll call it even.”

Relieved, the young man left the store. He deposited $X into the Salvation Army kettle that year—and, if I understand correctly, every year since.

Although this may sound petty to you, it was essential to the young man. Before we learn three reasons why restitution is necessary, let’s determine what restitution is.

 

What is restitution?

We explored repentance in a previous post. This rich gift was defined in terms of a change of mind, emotion, and will toward self, sin, God, and Christ.

We also dealt with confession, which, in simple terms, is designated as ‘repentance in words’—the expression of one’s heart-change of repentance.

If confession is ‘repentance in words,’ restitution is ‘repentance in works.’

Our English-language Bibles translate some evocative words from Hebrew and Greek to speak of restitution.

In the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the usual word for restitution is shālēm, derived from shālôm.

Shālôm is often understood as “peace,” but it is far more than that. One dictionary states that shālôm carries the meaning of “completion and fulfillment—of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship.”[3]

The word translated restitution (shālēm) also means repaying—making the other person whole again—whether financially or otherwise. It is like restoring the pieces of a broken plate to make it complete once more.

In the New Testament, the Greek word apodidōmi conveys the idea of restitution. Literally, it means “giving back.”

Taken together, these words mean restitution is giving back to someone to make them whole—or as whole as possible. 

 

Examples of restitution

In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, laws of restitution existed for injuries or deaths of people or livestock, theft, and damage to crops (Exodus 21:28-22:17).

For instance, if a person stole from another, the thief “must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house” (Proverbs 6:30-31).

In the New Testament, terms such as “pay back” and “restore” are used for restitution. A scene involving a tax collector, Zacchaeus, is a case in point. This is his interchange with Jesus (Luke 19:8-9):

Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back [apodidōmi] four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.”

What does restitution look like for us today?

 

How do we make restitution? 

Restitution is not an outmoded, irrelevant concept. It is just ignored, forgotten, or not practiced very much.

Here are three insights into what restitution may look like for us: 

1. If a person has stolen or damaged something, then genuine repentance is expressed not only by words of confession, but also by works of repayment to make the other person and their property whole again.

2. In modern situations, many people have a policy of insurance to cover loss or injury to property or people. If you cause damage or injury while driving a car, your responsibility does not end with reporting it to your insurance company.

In this example, genuine repentance includes your cooperation with the victim and the insurer to make sure the injured party is properly and fully compensated for the loss and injury. This means telling the truth and ensuring the result is just and equitable. 

3. Sometimes, restitution is not possible. 

Think of an incident in which a drunk driver kills a child, or a person commits adultery. How did David make restitution for his adultery with Bathsheba, or the murder of her husband (2 Samuel 11)? How can money make a grieving family whole again? How can money restore marital infidelity?

Usually, the consequences of our sin have a lasting impact on others and on us. 

Sin is like driving a nail into a piece of wood. Repentance and confession are like removing a nail – yet the hole remains.

We will revisit this issue in future posts.

 

Why is restitution necessary?

Here are three reasons why restitution is necessary:

1. Restoring wholeness

As we have seen, for the victim, restitution restores a measure of wholeness. To the extent possible, the victim is repaid or compensated for the injury, damage, or loss caused by the offender.

For the offender, restitution can also restore a degree of wholeness. In some way, as repentance is expressed in works, healing can begin in the life of the offender.

2. Repentance evidenced

Restitution is evidence of genuine repentance for all to see. It reveals something of a heart that is being harmonized with God’s desire for wholeness and peace.

Recall Jesus’ response to Zacchaeus’ commitment to restore what he had stolen in the abuses of tax collection:

“Today salvation has come to this house …”

The tax collector’s pledge evidenced a newness of heart.

3. Repetition hindered

Restitution impresses upon the offender something of the loss, pain, and cost of the offense, injury, or sin. The restoration of the victim; the cost of that restoration; the recognition of the continuing effects of the offense – all of these, and more, should act as a deterrence. 

The youthful thief in our opening story had learned a lesson that was reinforced when he made restitution. He never wanted to repeat that wrong.

I invite you to comment and ask questions about the reasons for restitution and how it ought to be practiced. You can contact me using this link.  

In the meantime, ask yourself:

“Is there restitution I need to make?” 

 

BACK TO When Forgiveness is Withheld

TO START at the beginning of this series

Notes:

[1] Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “restitution,” accessed June 23, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restitution.

[2] I have not specified the actual amount because it does not matter. Whether large or small, the call to make restitution for our wrongs remains.

[3] R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 2 vols. (Chicago, IL: Moody, 1980), s.v. “שָׁלוֹם” (TWOT 2401a).

Photo credit: eltpics via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC