150 Bible verses about Forgiving Enemies

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, pray for those who disparage you.

“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.

bearing with one another, and graciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord graciously forgave you, so also should you.

But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Never paying back evil for evil to anyone, respecting what is good in the sight of all men,

if possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men,

not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but giving a blessing instead, for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

¶When your enemy falls, do not be glad, And when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice;

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

For you will heap burning coals on his head, And Yahweh will repay you.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

¶Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up;

it does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered;

it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,

trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.

For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

Therefore look carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

On account of this, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

never taking your own revenge, beloved—instead leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.

Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and shouting and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’

But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord,

seeing to it that no one falls short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates close companions.

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out, and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back.

Remember Lot’s wife.

Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.

There will be two women grinding grain at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.

[Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”]

And answering they *said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”

And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

So, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;

bearing with one another, and graciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord graciously forgave you, so also should you.

¶Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

A man’s insight makes him slow to anger, And it is his honor to overlook a transgression.

being devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor,

“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.

Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

“Therefore, in all things, whatever you want people to do for you, so do for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you.

For You, Lord, are good, and by nature forgiving, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.

See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

By this we have known love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Love does not work evil against a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

And treat others the same way you want them to treat you.

When a man’s ways are pleasing to Yahweh, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,

namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

“And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.”

And the Lord’s slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,

with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may give them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth,

“And do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

“He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.

An ignorant fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals disgrace.

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves,

and we labor, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

¶Yahweh is gracious and compassionate; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.

And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you view your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

“For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”

Brothers, even if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The man of lovingkindness deals bountifully with his soul, But the cruel man brings trouble on his flesh.

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is Christ,

But now you also, lay them all aside: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. For his mouth speaks from the abundance of his heart.

¶Blessed are the lowly, for they shall inherit the earth.

He who pursues righteousness and lovingkindness Finds life, righteousness, and glory.

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

Know this, my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,

for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our transgressions, according to the riches of His grace

For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps,

who did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;

who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you,

so that He may strengthen your hearts blameless in holiness, before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men,

but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women professing godliness.

A woman must learn in quietness, in all submission.

But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

For it was Adam who was first formed, and then Eve.

And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into trespass.

But she will be saved through the bearing of children, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with self-restraint.

for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

“He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.

But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also. For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.

And again he says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”

And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, And let all the peoples praise Him.”

And again Isaiah says, “There shall come the root of Jesse, And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, In Him shall the Gentiles hope.”

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge and being able also to admonish one another.

But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me by God

for me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore in Christ Jesus I have reason for boasting in things pertaining to God.

For I will not be bold to speak of anything except what Christ has brought about through me, leading to the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed,

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and all around as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his building up.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things.

Let love be without hypocrisy—by abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good,

And he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

Let all that you do be done in love.

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

Let love of the brothers continue.

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no authority to eat.

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.

Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the one to come.

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.

And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they will do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves well in all things.

And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Finally, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction, or turmoil, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were counted as sheep for the slaughter.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Hope in Yahweh, and He will save you.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

¶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Or do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not worthy to constitute the smallest law courts?

For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

¶Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your hand to do it.

Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our benefit, so that we may share His holiness.

And all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, but to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord,

seeing to it that no one falls short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

that also there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,

and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,

and do not go on presenting your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

Do you not know that when you go on presenting yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were given over,

and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.

May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

that He would give you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being firmly rooted and grounded in love,

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”

And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out to be trampled under foot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a love of the brothers without hypocrisy, fervently love one another from the heart,

being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear,

And behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of God;

¶“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was begotten of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

(for the fruit of that light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction brings about perseverance;

and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

And my God will fulfill all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Yahweh is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace Because he trusts in You.

Trust in Yahweh with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Now I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.