147 Bible verses about the Importance of Forgiveness

For if you will forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father also will forgive you your offenses.But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your sins.

And be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Support one another, and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive one another. For just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also must you do.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

If we confess our sins, then he is faithful and just, so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

Then Peter, drawing near to him, said: "Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?"Jesus said to him: "I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times.

Therefore, if you offer your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,leave your gift there, before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to your brother, and then you may approach and offer your gift.

And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your sins.

But if anyone has brought sorrow, he has not sorrowed me. Yet, for my part, this is so that I might not burden all of you.Let this rebuke be sufficient for someone like this, for it has been brought by many.So then, to the contrary, you should be more forgiving and consoling, lest perhaps someone like this may be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.Because of this, I beg you to confirm your charity toward him.

Whoever conceals an offense seeks friendships. Whoever repeats the words of another separates allies.

If it is possible, in so far as you are able, be at peace with all men.

Will not Zion say that this man and that man were born in her? And the Most High himself has founded her.

So, too, shall my heavenly Father do to you, if each one of you will not forgive his brother from your hearts."

Be attentive to yourselves. If your brother has sinned against you, correct him. And if he has repented, forgive him.According to these things, so shall it be in the day when the Son of man will be revealed.In that hour, whoever will be on the rooftop, with his goods in the house, let him not descend to take them. And whoever will be in the field, similarly, let him not turn back.Remember Lot's wife.Whoever has sought to save his life, will lose it; and whoever has lost it, will bring it back to life.I say to you, in that night, there will be two in one bed. One will be taken up, and the other will be left behind.Two will be at the grindstone together. One will be taken up, and the other will be left behind. Two will be in the field. One will be taken up, and the other will be left behind."Responding, they said to him, "Where, Lord?"And he said to them, "Wherever the body will be, in that place also, the eagles shall be gathered together."And if he has sinned against you seven times a day, and seven times a day has turned back to you, saying, 'I am sorry,' then forgive him."

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be saved. For the unremitting prayer of a just person prevails over many things.

And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

In him, we have redemption through his blood: the remission of sins in accord with the riches of his grace,

Above them, the flying things of the air will dwell. From the midst of the rocks, they will utter voices.

Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: "Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord."

For this is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many as a remission of sins.

Hatred rises up from disputes. And charity covers all offenses.

Charity is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil.

And I will no longer remember their sins and iniquities."

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do." And truly, dividing his garments, they cast lots.

A Psalm of David. Exult in the Lord, you just ones; together praise the upright.

not repaying evil with evil, nor slander with slander, but, to the contrary, repaying with blessings. For to this you have been called, so that you may possess the inheritance of a blessing.

Those whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and those whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."

Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse.

If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.For you will gather hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will repay you.

And then approach and accuse me, says the Lord. Then, if your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made white like snow; and if they are red like vermillion, they shall become white like wool.

For I will forgive their iniquities, and I will no longer remember their sins."

Let Israel hope in the Lord, from this time forward and even forever.

What God is like you, who takes away iniquity and passes over the sin of the remnant of your inheritance? No longer will he send forth his fury, because he is willing to be merciful.He will turn back and have mercy on us. He will put away our iniquities, and he will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Whoever hides his crimes will not be guided. But whoever will have confessed and abandoned them shall overtake mercy.

But God demonstrates his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, at the proper time,

Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and outcry and blasphemy be taken away from you, along with all malice.

Therefore, all things whatsoever that you wish that men would do to you, do so also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

But, before all things, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves. For love covers a multitude of sins.

Charity is patient, is kind. Charity does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated.Charity is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil.Charity does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices in truth.Charity suffers all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.

For this reason, accept one another, just as Christ also has accepted you, in the honor of God.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Unto the end. The understanding of David.But I, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God unto eternity, and forever and ever.I will confess to you forever, because you have accomplished it. And I will wait on your name, for it is good in the sight of your saints.When Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul, David went to the house of Ahimelech.

The doctrine of a man is known through patience. And his glory is to pass beyond iniquities.

For judgment is without mercy toward him who has not shown mercy. But mercy exalts itself above judgment.

He himself bore our sins in his body upon the tree, so that we, having died to sin, would live for justice. By his wounds, you have been healed.

So then, go out and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the just, but sinners."

For he has rescued us from the power of darkness, and he has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love,in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins.

For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves, for it is a gift of God.And this is not of works, so that no one may glory.

And, brothers, if a man has been overtaken by any offense, you who are spiritual should instruct someone like this with a spirit of leniency, considering that you yourselves might also be tempted.

Be contemplative, lest anyone lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up and impede you, and by it, many might be defiled,

"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.or if he were to ask him for a fish, would offer him a snake?Therefore, if you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your sons, how much more will your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to those who ask him?Therefore, all things whatsoever that you wish that men would do to you, do so also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leads to perdition, and many there are who enter through it.How narrow is the gate, and how straight is the way, which leads to life, and few there are who find it!Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.You shall know them by their fruits. Can grapes be gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?So then, every good tree produces good fruit, and the evil tree produces evil fruit.A good tree is not able to produce evil fruit, and an evil tree is not able to produce good fruit.Every tree which does not produce good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire.For with whatever judgment you judge, so shall you be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, so shall it be measured back to you.

But all is of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.For certainly God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not charging them with their sins. And he has placed in us the Word of reconciliation.

Concerning the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is chaste, whatever is just, whatever is holy, whatever is worthy to be loved, whatever is of good repute, if there is any virtue, if there is any praiseworthy discipline: meditate on these.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking according to the flesh.

For the servant of the Lord must not be contentious, but instead he must be meek toward everyone, teachable, patient,correcting with self-restraint those who resist the truth. For at any time God may give them repentance, so as to recognize the truth,

But I, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God unto eternity, and forever and ever.

My little sons, this I write to you, so that you may not sin. But if anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One.Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause of offense in him.But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness, and in darkness he walks, and he does not know where he is going. For the darkness has blinded his eyes.I am writing to you, little sons, because your sins are forgiven for the sake of his name.I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, adolescents, because you have overcome the evil one.I am writing to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I am writing to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.Do not choose to love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world is the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the arrogance of a life which is not of the Father, but is of the world.And the world is passing away, with its desire. But whoever does the will of God abides unto eternity.Little sons, it is the last hour. And, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have arrived. By this, we know that it is the last hour.They went out from among us, but they were not of us. For, if they had been of us, certainly they would have remained with us. But in this way, it is made manifest that none of them are of us.And he is the propitiation for our sins. And not only for our sins, but also for those of the whole world.

Because of this, I tell you: many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much. But he who is forgiven less, loves less."

I will confess to you in a great Church. I will praise you among a weighty people.

Then, when Jesus had seen their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?'

By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.

Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good,

For if you will forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father also will forgive you your offenses.

And exactly as you would want people to treat you, treat them also the same.

I give you a new commandment: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also must you love one another.By this, all shall recognize that you are my disciples: if you will have love for one another."

Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

Let the impious one abandon his way, and the iniquitous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will take pity on him, and to our God, for he is great in forgiveness.

Now there is certainly an offense among you, beyond everything else, when you have court cases against one another. Should you not accept injury instead? Should you not endure being cheated instead?

But anyone whom you have forgiven of anything, I also forgive. And then, too, anyone I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it was done in the person of Christ for your sakes,so that we would not be circumvented by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his intentions.

A mild response shatters anger. But a harsh word stirs up fury.

See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone. Instead, always pursue whatever is good, with one another and with all.

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

Let no one seek for himself, but for others.

Let nothing be done by contention, nor in vain glory. Instead, in humility, let each of you esteem others to be better than himself.For he was brought close even to death, for the sake of the work of Christ, handing over his own life, so that he might fulfill what was lacking from you concerning my service.Let each of you not consider anything to be your own, but rather to belong to others.

I am. I am the very One who wipes away your iniquities for my own sake. And I will not remember your sins.

For all have sinned and all are in need of the glory of God.We have been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Therefore, as most beloved sons, be imitators of God.affirming what is well-pleasing to God.And so, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead, refute them.For the things that are done by them in secret are shameful, even to mention.But all things that are disputed are made manifest by the light. For all that is made manifest is light.Because of this, it is said: "You who are sleeping: awaken, and rise up from the dead, and so shall the Christ enlighten you."And so, brothers, see to it that you walk cautiously, not like the foolish,but like the wise: atoning for this age, because this is an evil time.For this reason, do not choose to be imprudent. Instead, understand what is the will of God.And do not choose to be inebriated by wine, for this is self-indulgence. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,speaking among yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and reciting psalms to the Lord in your hearts,And walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and delivered himself for us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, with a fragrance of sweetness.

Because of this, God will destroy you in the end. He will pull you up, and he will remove you from your tabernacle and your root from the land of the living.

Then his lord called him, and he said to him: 'You wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?'

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the directors of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places.

And forgive us our sins, since we also forgive all who are indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."

So if an enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap burning coals upon his head.Do not allow evil to prevail, instead prevail over evil by means of goodness.

And nearly everything, according to the law, is to be cleansed with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.

For the Son of man has come to seek and to save what had been lost."

For God did not send his Son into the world, in order to judge the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him.

But thanks be to God, who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he himself was wounded because of our iniquities. He was bruised because of our wickedness. The discipline of our peace was upon him. And by his wounds, we are healed.We have all gone astray like sheep; each one has turned aside to his own way. And the Lord has placed all our iniquity upon him.

For this reason, I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

You cover its heights with water. You set the clouds as your stairs. You walk upon the wings of the winds.You will send forth your Spirit, and they will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.May the glory of the Lord be for all ages. The Lord will rejoice in his works.He considers the earth, and he makes it tremble. He touches the mountains, and they smoke.I will sing to the Lord with my life. I will sing psalms to my God, as long as I am.May my speech be pleasing to him. Truly, I will take delight in the Lord.Let sinners fade away from the earth, along with the unjust, so that they may not be. Bless the Lord, O my soul.You make your Angels a breath of life, and your ministers a burning fire.

You know this, my most beloved brothers. So let every man be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to anger.

Therefore, clothe yourselves like the elect of God: holy and beloved, with hearts of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, and patience.

Therefore, we should no longer judge one another. Instead, judge this to a greater extent: that you should not place an obstacle before your brother, nor lead him astray.

Yet still, God, who is rich in mercy, for the sake of his exceedingly great charity with which he loved us,even when we were dead in our sins, has enlivened us together in Christ, by whose grace you have been saved.

But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you.

Most beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.Whoever does not love, does not know God. For God is love.

For we know that he has said: "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."It is dreadful to fall into the hands of the living God.

In response, he said: "You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from all your strength, and from all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.

But within the wisdom that is from above, certainly, chastity is first, and next peacefulness, meekness, openness, consenting to what is good, a plenitude of mercy and good fruits, not judging, without falseness.

For my loins have been filled with illusions, and there is no health in my flesh.

But for now, these three continue: faith, hope, and charity. And the greatest of these is charity.

For the mountains will be moved, and the hills will tremble. But my mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of my peace will not be shaken, said the Lord, who has compassion on you.

And I ask him to grant to you to be strengthened in virtue by his Spirit, in accord with the wealth of his glory, in the inner man,so that Christ may live in your hearts through a faith rooted in, and founded on, charity.

And when you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he enlivened you, together with him, forgiving you of all transgressions,and wiping away the handwriting of the decree which was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken this away from your midst, affixing it to the Cross.

All the wild beasts of the field will drink. The wild donkeys will anticipate in their thirst.Above them, the flying things of the air will dwell. From the midst of the rocks, they will utter voices.

Yet whoever did accept him, those who believed in his name, he gave them the power to become the sons of God.

This is my precept: that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

"Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin."

And taking the chalice, he gave thanks. And he gave it to them, saying: "Drink from this, all of you.For this is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many as a remission of sins.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to have compassion on our infirmities, but rather one who was tempted in all things, just as we are, yet without sin.Therefore, let us go forth with confidence toward the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy, and find grace, in a helpful time.

A merciful man benefits his own soul. But whoever is cruel casts out even his close relatives.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, released him, and he forgave his debt.

And do not be willing to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed, unto the day of redemption.Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and outcry and blasphemy be taken away from you, along with all malice.

Let your speech be ever graceful, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to respond to each person.

For I say, through the grace that has been given to me, to all who are among you: Taste no more than it is necessary to taste, but taste unto sobriety and just as God has distributed a share of the faith to each one.

And lead us not into temptation. But free us from evil. Amen.

And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: 'O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'

So may the God of patience and solace grant you to be of one mind toward one another, in accord with Jesus Christ,

He loves mercy and judgment. The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.

Lying lips conceal hatred; whoever brings forth contempt is unwise.

Therefore, be subject to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

But, so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he then said to the paralytic, "Rise up, take up your bed, and go into your house."

For whatever was written, was written to teach us, so that, through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

So I say to you, there will be joy before the Angels of God over even one sinner who is repentant."

Because of this, you must depart from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean.

But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother.

I live; yet now, it is not I, but truly Christ, who lives in me. And though I live now in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and who delivered himself for me.

Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself.

I have wiped away your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.

So then, let your light shine in the sight of men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father, who is in heaven.

and that, through him, all things be reconciled to himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, for the things that are on earth, as well as the things that are in heaven.And you, though you had been, in times past, understood to be foreigners and enemies, with works of evil,yet now he has reconciled you, by his body of flesh, through death, so as to offer you, holy and immaculate and blameless, before him.

Cast all your cares upon him, for he takes care of you.

For the wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The thief does not come, except so that he may steal and slaughter and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.

So, let us draw near with a true heart, in the fullness of faith, having hearts cleansed from an evil conscience, and bodies absolved with clean water.

But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up again. And I will requite them.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has regenerated us into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead:unto an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance, which is reserved for you in heaven.