And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be kind and forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Forgiving is not the same as accepting harm.
Bible Verses About Forgiveness
Key Bible verses about forgiveness are Ephesians 4:32, 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 103:12. The Bible speaks of forgiveness in two directions: God forgives us, and because He does, we learn to forgive others. Psalm 103:12 says He removes our sins “As far as the east is from the west.”
A verse for you
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be kind and forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Forgiving is not the same as accepting harm.
KJV15 Bible verses about forgiveness
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confess, and God is faithful to forgive you and make you clean.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
When God forgives, He puts the sin as far away as the east is from the west.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
God is good and ready to forgive, rich in mercy to everyone who calls on Him.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
God invites His people to come and talk: sins as deep as scarlet can be made white as snow.
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
There is no God like Him: He pardons, does not keep His anger for ever, and delights in mercy.
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Paul to a church: bear with one another’s faults and forgive, as Christ forgave you. Forgiving is not the same as accepting harm.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
From the cross, Jesus prays for the people crucifying Him.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
David on the relief of being forgiven: blessed is the one whose sin is covered.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
In Jesus’ parable, the father sees his son far off and runs to meet him. That is how God welcomes those who come back.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Jesus’ words right after the Lord’s Prayer: receiving God’s forgiveness and forgiving others belong together. Forgiving often takes time, and it never means accepting harm.
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Peter asks if seven times is enough; Jesus answers seventy times seven: forgiveness that stops counting. It is not a call to stay where you are being hurt.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
When you pray, forgive what you hold against anyone, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you too. Forgiving can take time, and it never means accepting harm.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
You do not have to get even. Leaving justice in God’s hands is part of forgiving.
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Patience slows anger, and letting a wrong go can be a kind of glory.
What the Bible says
Forgiveness begins with God. Scripture describes Him again and again as “ready to forgive” (Psalm 86:5), a God who “delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” In Jesus’ parable of the lost son, the father sees his son “a great way off” and runs to him before the son can finish his apology.
Forgiving others grows out of being forgiven: “even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Jesus ties the two together sharply right after the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:14-15). That is not a bargain in which God’s mercy has to be earned; His parable in Matthew 18:23-35 shows a servant released from a vast debt who will not release a small one. Mercy received is meant to flow on. When Peter asked whether seven times was enough, Jesus answered, “Until seventy times seven”: stop counting.
Forgiveness is often misunderstood. It is not saying that what happened was fine, not forgetting on command, and not the same as trust or reconciliation. It means releasing the debt and giving up the right to get even, leaving justice to God: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” For a deep wound it is usually a process rather than one moment, and many people find they have to forgive the same thing more than once. Reconciliation takes two people; forgiveness can begin with one.
Forgiving never requires staying where you are being harmed. Jesus prayed “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” from the cross, and the same Bible calls injustice by its name and defends the vulnerable. If someone is abusing or threatening you, getting safe comes first, and forgiveness, when it comes, can come from a distance.
A prayer
Father, thank You that You are good and ready to forgive, and that You have removed my sins as far as the east is from the west. I confess what I have done wrong, and I trust You to cleanse me. Help me forgive as I have been forgiven, even when it takes time and must be done again. I leave the debt and the justice in Your hands. Where I need to be safe, give me wisdom and courage. Amen.
Questions people ask
What is the most powerful Bible verse about forgiveness?
For forgiving others, Ephesians 4:32: “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” For God’s forgiveness, 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 103:12.
Do I have to forgive someone who keeps hurting me?
Jesus calls His followers to forgive without keeping count (Matthew 18:21-22), but forgiving is not the same as staying, trusting again or keeping quiet about harm. You can forgive and still set boundaries, step away or report what was done; Romans 12:18 asks for peace only “as much as lieth in you.” If someone is abusing or threatening you, your safety comes first: forgiveness never requires staying where you are being harmed. In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
Is there a sin God will not forgive?
Jesus says that “All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men,” with one warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-29). Christian traditions, Catholic and Protestant alike, generally understand it as a settled, final refusal of God’s mercy, not a single terrible act or thought. Someone afraid they have committed it is, by that very fear, still turned toward God. 1 John 1:9 stands: confess, and He is faithful to forgive.
What is the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation?
Forgiveness is letting go of the debt, and you can do it on your own, before God. Reconciliation is a restored relationship, and it needs both people, honesty about what happened and, often, real change. Jesus describes the path in Matthew 18:15 and Matthew 5:23-24, but reconciliation is not always possible or safe, and forgiveness does not depend on it.
What does seventy times seven mean?
Peter offered seven times, a generous number in his day. Jesus answered “Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22), meaning without limit: forgiveness that stops keeping score. He then told the parable of the unforgiving servant to show why: we have been forgiven far more.
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