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Bible verses about forgiveness
A reading list on divine pardon, repentance, reconciliation, and the demand to forgive others because God has first forgiven.
What does the Bible say about forgiveness?
Forgiveness in Scripture is never cheap. It deals with real guilt, real harm, and the need for both mercy and truth. The Bible can speak about forgiveness as release, cleansing, reconciliation, and restored fellowship.
These passages help when you are asking how God forgives, whether Christians are called to forgive, and how forgiveness connects to repentance and grace. They also guard against reducing forgiveness to vague niceness.
Key passages
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
Paul grounds human forgiveness in God’s forgiveness in Christ. Filthy words proceed from corruption in the speaker, and they corrupt the minds and manners of those who hear them: Christians should beware of all such discourse.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Confession and cleansing are held together clearly here. A message from the Lord Jesus, the Word of life, the eternal Word, we should all gladly receive. The great God should be represented to this dark world, as pure and perfect light.
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"
Jesus places forgiveness near the center of discipleship and prayer. Christ saw it needful to show his disciples what must commonly be the matter and method of their prayer. Not that we are tied up to the use of this only, or of this always; yet, without doubt, it is very good to use it.
"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."
Christian community is ordered by patient bearing and forgiveness. We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."
The psalm gives a memorable picture of how far God removes sin. Truly God is good to all: he is in a special manner good to Israel. He has revealed himself and his grace to them.
"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."
Scarlet guilt is answered by cleansing mercy. Not only feel sorrow for the sin committed, but break off the practice. We must be doing, not stand idle.
Main takeaways
- Biblical forgiveness begins in God’s own mercy toward sinners.
- The forgiveness Christians give to others is patterned after what they have received.
- Forgiveness is serious because sin is serious.
Related books
Related people
Related places
The city at the heart of biblical kingship, temple worship, the passion narratives, and Christian memory.
Reading paths
Start with the person of Jesus before trying to master the whole canon. This route keeps the reading human-scale and direct.
Further guides
Most misunderstood Bible verses
A short guide to why famous verses are often detached from context, and how to read them more carefully without losing their pastoral force.