VERSES ABOUT FORGIVENESS

Forgiving others brings such freedom. It's like taking off a heavy backpack you've been carrying for way too long. There's a real beauty to forgiveness, and anyone who's experienced both giving and receiving it knows what I mean. God is our ultimate example, right? He shows us how it's done and calls us to practice it every single day.

So, I encourage you to forgive, just as Christ forgives you – every single day. It's time to let go and be free. Let's be real, in this life, someone is bound to hurt or offend you. But even then, we're called to learn to forgive and love again. Get that bitterness out of your system. Trust me, it'll help you grow and move forward. It'll even strengthen your relationship with God.

As children of God, we rejoice because we've received forgiveness for our sins through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. But it's important to remember that just as we've been forgiven, our hearts need to be ready to forgive others. Mark 11:25¹ says, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." As long as we repent and are faithful in forgiving others, God will completely forgive us. And that's when we can truly have a fresh start!

but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;

But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.

{\b But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.}

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if ye forgive not men {\i their trespasses}, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.\par

and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.\par

forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:

And Jesus said, {\cf6 Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.} And parting his garments among them, they cast lots.

Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?Jesus saith unto him, {\cf6 I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.

Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.

not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth,\par\tab And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;\par\tab And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head,\par\tab And Jehovah will reward thee.

Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

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

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

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.\par

But love your enemies, and do {\i them} good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.}\par

Love suffereth long, {\i and} is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.\par

Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath {\i of God}: for it is written, {\b Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense,} saith the Lord.

As far as the east is from the west,\par\tab So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:

Hatred stirreth up strifes;\par\tab But love covereth all transgressions.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice:and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.\par

Ye have heard that it was said, {\b An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth}:but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on {\i thy} right cheek, turn to him the other 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.

Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:looking carefully lest {\i there be} any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble {\i you}, and thereby the many be defiled;

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love;\par\tab But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.

Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.}\par

Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received you, to the glory of God.

And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.}\par

Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger;\par\tab And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;

{\cf6 Judge not, that ye be not judged.For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive,\par\tab And abundant in lovingkindness unto all them that call upon thee.

See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.

Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.\par

And as ye would that men should do to you, do to them likewise.

When a man's ways please Jehovah,\par\tab He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.

shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?

A soft answer turneth away wrath;\par\tab But a grievous word stirreth up anger.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:\par\tab Fret not thyself, {\i it tendeth} only to evil-doing.

who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed {\i himself} to him that judgeth righteously:

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual {\i hosts} of wickedness in the heavenly {\i places}.

Depart from evil, and do good;\par\tab Seek peace, and pursue it.

But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation;to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.\par

but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),

{\b And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.}

So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.}\par

And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing,in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth,

And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released:

For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;

But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, {\cf6 He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.}

{\b And let him turn away from evil, and do good;\par\tab Let him seek peace, and pursue it.}

A fool's vexation is presently known;\par\tab But a prudent man concealeth shame.

with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

{\i doing} nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;

and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

Jehovah is gracious, and merciful;\par\tab Slow to anger, and of great lovingkindness.

And a second like {\i unto it} is this, {\b Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.}

But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.

{\b For I will be merciful to their iniquities,\par\tab And their sins will I remember no more.}

Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

But go ye and learn what {\i this} meaneth, {\b I desire mercy, and not sacrifice}: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.}\par

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul;\par\tab But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, {\i even} Christ;

but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil {\i man} out of the evil {\i treasure} bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.\par

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now.He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.\par

He that followeth after righteousness and kindness\par\tab Findeth life, righteousness, and honor.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another.

Ye know {\i this}, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:{\b who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth}:who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed {\i himself} to him that judgeth righteously:

Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also {\i do} toward you;to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.\par

I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men;for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.

For,\par\tab {\b He that would love life,\par\tab And see good days,\par\tab Let him refrain {\i his} tongue from evil,\par\tab And {\i his} lips that they speak no guile:}{\b And let him turn away from evil, and do good;\par\tab Let him seek peace, and pursue it.}

But to whom ye forgive anything, I {\i forgive} also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes {\i have I forgiven it} in the presence of Christ;that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.\par

I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, {\i more} than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.\par

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, {\i even} these least, ye did it unto me.

Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

And he answering said, {\b Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind}; and {\b thy neighbor as thyself.}

Let all that ye do be done in love.\par

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.

Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.\par

Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for {\b God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.}Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

Let love of the brethren continue.Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, {\i even} in this: {\b Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.}

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?Even as it is written,\par\tab {\b For thy sake we are killed all the day long;\par\tab We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.}Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Say not thou, I will recompense evil:\par\tab Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.

My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.\par

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,\par\tab When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.

Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing {\i I do}, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before.I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, {\i even} to them that are called according to {\i his} purpose.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that {\i life} which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, {\i the faith} which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

For judgment {\i is} without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.\par

saying, {\cf6 Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.}

Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of {\i our} faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?

being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.}\par

Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers?}And he said, He that showed mercy on him. And Jesus said unto him, {\cf6 Go, and do thou likewise.}\par

Him who knew no sin he made {\i to be} sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.\par

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith:henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.\par

And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

{\b A Psalm of David.}\par\par\tab Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;\par\tab He leadeth me beside still waters.He restoreth my soul:\par\tab He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from a pure heart fervently:

giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

But seek ye first the kingdom {\i of God}, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

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

but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: {\i being} ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:

And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, {\cf6 Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven.}

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.}

to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

{\cf6 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

So belief {\i cometh} of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.

for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light(for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness;and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:

But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart,\par\tab And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.

Thou wilt keep {\i him} in perfect peace, {\i whose} mind {\i is} stayed {\i on thee}; because he trusteth in thee.

Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,\par\tab And lean not upon thine own understanding:In all thy ways acknowledge him,\par\tab And he will direct thy paths.

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

Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and {\i that} there be no divisions among you; but {\i that} ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Prayer