Bible
Bible Verses About Forgiveness
Forgiveness is at the center of the gospel: God's forgiveness of sinners through Christ, and our forgiveness of each other modeled on his. Below are curated KJV passages on God's forgiveness, forgiving others, repentance and mercy, and forgiveness through Christ.
God's forgiveness
The Bible begins with God offering forgiveness to sinners. His mercy is the foundation of every other kind of forgiveness.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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.
Forgiving others
Jesus and the apostles tie our forgiveness of others to God's forgiveness of us. The standard is the way Christ has forgiven the believer.
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.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Repentance and mercy
The Bible never separates forgiveness from repentance. The way back from sin is to confess, forsake, and return to God's mercy.
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Forgiveness through Christ
The New Testament grounds forgiveness in the death of Christ on the cross. He bore the penalty so that pardon could be offered freely.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Examples
God's forgiveness
Psalm 103:12, 1 John 1:9, Micah 7:18-19
Forgiving others
Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13
Repentance and mercy
Proverbs 28:13, Isaiah 55:7, Luke 15:7
Forgiveness through Christ
Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:13-14, Acts 10:43
How it works
The page groups verses into four themes that follow the biblical teaching on forgiveness:
- God's forgiveness: the foundation of everything else.
- Forgiving others: the command that follows from receiving mercy.
- Repentance and mercy: the way back from sin.
- Forgiveness through Christ: the cross as the basis of forgiveness.
All verse text below is from the King James Version (1611), public domain in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
The Bible places forgiveness at the center of the gospel. God forgives the repentant freely on the basis of Christ's death (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:9). Christians are called to forgive others the way they themselves have been forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15; Ephesians 4:32). Forgiveness in the Bible is not about saying that wrongs do not matter; it is releasing the offense to God and refusing to live in bitterness.
No. The Bible does not require Christians to pretend a wrong did not happen. Forgiveness means releasing the offense to God, choosing not to take personal revenge (Romans 12:19), and being willing to seek reconciliation where it is possible. Reconciliation may take time and may not always be possible (e.g., where ongoing harm is occurring). Forgiveness and reconciliation are related but not identical.
Jesus answered this directly in Matthew 18:21-22 when Peter asked the same question. Peter offered seven times; Jesus replied 'until seventy times seven,' meaning without keeping a count. The point is not a quota but a posture: an unending readiness to forgive, modeled on the way God forgives us.
Different Christian traditions answer slightly differently. The broad teaching is that the believer should not nurse bitterness in their own heart (Ephesians 4:31-32; Hebrews 12:15) and should be ready to forgive at any point. Full reconciliation, however, usually involves repentance from the other side. We can release the offense to God now; whether the relationship is restored may depend on whether the other person turns from the wrong.
Yes, in the United States. The King James Version was first published in 1611 and is in the public domain in the U.S. All verse text on this page is KJV.
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