Home › Bible verses › Forgiving Others
Bible verses
Bible Verses About Forgiving Others
The Bible calls us to forgive others, not because the wrong was small, but because we ourselves have been forgiven so much by God. Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13 are among the clearest verses about forgiving others. Jesus made it central: He taught the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18) and said plainly, 'if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.'
Bible verses about forgiving others
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Matthew 6:14 · King James Version (public domain)
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:32 · King James Version (public domain)
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another... even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Colossians 3:13 · King James Version (public domain)
“I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Matthew 18:21-22 · King James Version (public domain)
“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.”
Mark 11:25 · King James Version (public domain)
Jesus ties our own praying to a heart that lets go of grievances, so forgiveness and fellowship with God move together.
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”
Luke 6:37 · King James Version (public domain)
He promises that the mercy we release toward others is the mercy that returns to us.
“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:15 · King James Version (public domain)
This sober word warns that a refusal to forgive closes a door we need left open.
“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”
Luke 17:3 · King James Version (public domain)
Forgiveness is commanded even after real wrong, making it an act of obedience rather than a feeling we wait for.
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Luke 23:34 · King James Version (public domain)
From the cross Christ forgave His killers, showing that no offense against us lies beyond the grace He gives us to extend.
“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
Matthew 18:35 · King James Version (public domain)
The parable ends by pressing forgiveness down into the heart, not just the words, because we forgive as the forgiven.
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Romans 12:19 · King James Version (public domain)
We can let go because vengeance belongs to God, who judges rightly when we cannot.
“Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”
1 Peter 3:9 · King James Version (public domain)
Instead of returning injury for injury, we are called to answer with blessing and inherit one ourselves.
“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 7:60 · King James Version (public domain)
Dying under stones, Stephen echoed his Lord and asked forgiveness for his enemies, proof that grace can carry us that far.
How these verses point to Christ
These verses are not slogans to prop yourself up. Every true word the Bible speaks about forgiving others finds its yes in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). He is where forgiving others, rightly understood, was always leading; come to Him and receive what no verse alone can give.
You do not have to carry this alone
On The Living Bread you can read these passages in full, ask Simon what they mean, hear how Christ has met others in the same place, and pray them with a community that will pray for you by name. You are welcome exactly as you are.
Questions people ask about forgiving others
- What does the Bible say about forgiving others?
- Ephesians 4:32 says, 'be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,' and Colossians 3:13 adds, 'even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.' We forgive out of the forgiveness we have received.
- What did Jesus say about forgiving others?
- Jesus said, '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' (Matthew 6:14-15). He tied our willingness to forgive to our own experience of God's mercy.
- How many times should I forgive someone?
- When Peter asked if seven times was enough, Jesus answered, 'I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven' (Matthew 18:21-22). It is a call to forgive without keeping a count, again and again.
- What is the parable of the unforgiving servant?
- In Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus told of a servant forgiven a vast debt by his king, who then refused to forgive a fellow servant a tiny one. The warning is sobering: 'So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses' (Matthew 18:35). We forgive because we have been forgiven far more.
- How do I forgive someone who hurt me deeply?
- Bring the hurt honestly to God, ask Him for the grace to release it, and choose to forgive as an act of the will (Colossians 3:13). Mark 11:25 ties it to prayer: 'when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any.' You can leave the justice with God, who says, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay' (Romans 12:19).
- Does forgiving mean what they did was okay, or that I must trust them again?
- No. Forgiveness releases the debt and the desire for revenge; it does not pretend the wrong was small or require you to stay in harm's way. Jesus forgave from the cross, 'Father, forgive them' (Luke 23:34), while entrusting all judgment to God. Forgiveness frees your heart; wisdom still guards it.
- What if I don't feel like forgiving?
- Forgiveness begins as a decision of obedience, not a feeling; the feelings often follow later. Ephesians 4:32 makes it an act of the will, and God supplies the grace to do what we cannot do on our own. You can even pray, honestly, for the willingness to forgive.
Grounded in Scripture, and made to genuinely help. Our approach to Scripture and trust.