Category
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!
“I say to you people that are listening to me, love your enemies. Do good to those people that hate you.Ask God to bless those people that say bad things to you. Pray for those people that are mean to you.
But you should do this: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink. In this way you will make that person ashamed. {\cf2\super [133]} ” {\cf2\super [134]}
Yes, if you forgive other people for the things they do wrong, then your Father in heaven will also forgive you for the things you do wrong.But if you don’t forgive the wrong things people do to you, then your Father in heaven will not forgive the wrong things you do.
Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If another person does something wrong against you, then forgive that person. Forgive other people because the Lord forgave you.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people \{that are killing me\}. They don’t know what they are doing. {\cf2\super [377]} ”
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when my brother won’t stop doing wrong to me, how many times must I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as seven times?”Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must continue to forgive him even if he does wrong to you seventy-seven times. {\cf2\super [256]} ”
If someone does wrong to you, don’t pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do the things that all people think are good.Do the best you can to live in peace with all people.
Don’t do wrong to a person to pay him back for doing wrong to you. Or don’t say something bad to a person to pay him back for saying something bad to you. But \{ask God to\} bless that person. Do this, because you yourselves were called to receive a blessing.
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If your enemy is thirsty, give him water to drink.If you do this, then you will make him ashamed. It is like putting burning coals on his head. And the Lord will reward you because you were good to your enemy.
What great blessings there are for the people that work to bring peace!\par God will call them his sons and daughters.\par
But Christ died for us while we were still sinners. In that way God showed us that he loves us very much.
If a person says, “I love God,” but that person hates his brother or sister \{in Christ\}, then that person is a liar. That person can see his brother, but he hates him. So that person cannot love God, because he has never seen God!And he (God) gave us this command: The person who loves God must also love his brothers and sisters \{in Christ\}.
“I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do these things, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High (God). Yes, because God is good even to the people that are full of sin and not thankful.
“I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other like I loved you.All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”
Love is patient, and love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not boast, and it is not proud.Love is not rude, love is not selfish, and love does not become angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it.Love is not happy with evil, but love is happy with the truth.Love patiently accepts all things. Love always trusts, always hopes, and always continues strong.
You are God’s children that he loves. So try to be like God.Live a life of love. Love other people the same as Christ loved us. Christ gave himself for us—he was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice {\cf2\super [37]} to God.
My friends, don’t try to punish people when they do wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I am the One who punishes; I will pay people back,” {\cf2\super [132]} says the Lord.
And God has taken our sins\par as far away from us\par as the east is from the west.\par
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ {\cf2\super [70]}But I tell you, don’t stand against an evil person. If someone hits you on the right cheek, then turn and let him hit the other cheek too.
But if we confess (admit) our sins, then God will forgive our sins. We can trust God to do this. God does what is right. God will make us clean from all the wrong things we have done.
Forgive the sins we have done,\par the same as we have forgiven the people\par that did wrong to us.\par
Always tell each other the wrong things you have done. Then pray for each other. Do this so that God can heal you. When a good person prays hard, great things happen.
Try to live in peace with all people. And try to live lives free from sin. If a person’s life is not holy, {\cf2\super [160]} then he will never see the Lord.Be careful that no person fails to get God’s grace (kindness). Be careful that no person becomes like a bitter weed growing among you. A person like that can ruin your whole group.
If you forgive a person who does wrong to you, then you can be friends. But if you continue to remember the wrong that he did, then it will hurt your friendship.
So be careful!If your brother does something wrong to you seven times in one day, but he says that he is sorry each time, then you should forgive him.”
When you are praying, and you remember that you are angry with another person about something, then forgive that person. Forgive them so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your sins.”
God has chosen you and made you his holy people. {\cf2\super [18]} He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to people; be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If another person does something wrong against you, then forgive that person. Forgive other people because the Lord forgave you.
What great blessings there are for the people that give mercy to other people!\par Mercy will be given to them.\par
If a person is wise, that wisdom gives him patience. And it is wonderful when he forgives people who do wrong to him.
Love each other in a way that you feel close to each other like brothers and sisters. You should want to give your brothers and sisters more honor than you want for yourself.
“Don’t judge other people, and God will not judge you.If you judge other people, you will be judged in the same way you judge them. And the way you give to other people will be the way God gives to you.
Master, you are good and merciful.\par Your people call to you for help.\par You really love those people.\par
Be sure that no person pays back wrong for wrong. But always try to do what is good for each other and for all people.
This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters \{in Christ\}.
If a person is living a good life, pleasing to the Lord, then even that person’s enemies will be at peace with him.
So you should have given the same mercy to that other man that is a servant with you. You should have given him the same mercy that I gave you.’
Don’t be angry! Don’t get mad!\par Don’t become so upset\par that you also want to do bad things.\par
People said bad things to Christ, but he did not say bad things to them. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten (speak against) the people. No! Christ let God take care of him. God is the One who judges rightly.
Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.
Stop doing bad things!\par Do good things.\par Work for peace.\par Run after peace until you catch it.\par
So we think about the things we cannot see, not what we see. The things we see continue only a short time. And the things we cannot see will continue forever.
But God’s mercy is very great, and God loved us very much.We were \{spiritually\} dead. We were dead because of the things we did wrong against God. But God gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace (kindness).
“This king did the same as my heavenly Father will do to you. You must truly forgive your brother or sister, or my heavenly Father will not forgive you.”
A servant of the Lord must not argue! He must be kind to every person. A servant of the Lord must be a good teacher. He must be patient.The Lord’s servant must gently teach those people that don’t agree with him. Maybe God will let those people change their hearts so that they can accept the truth.
“Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. Don’t condemn (find guilty) other people, and you will not be condemned. Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven.
I mean that while we were God’s enemies, God made friends with us through the death of his Son. So surely, now that we are God’s friends, God will save us through his Son’s life.
The Jewish leaders continued to ask Jesus their question. So Jesus stood up and said, “Is there any person here that has never sinned? That person without sin can throw the first rock at this woman.”
That person must stop doing evil\par and do good;\par that person should look for peace\par and try to get it.\par
A foolish person is easily upset. But a smart {\cf2\super [16]} person quickly forgives other people if they say something wrong.
When you do things, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble and give more honor to other people than to yourselves.
We work hard with our own hands \{to feed ourselves\}. People curse us, but we speak a blessing for them. People persecute {\cf2\super [26]} us, and we accept it.
And the second command is like the first: ‘You must love other people the same as you love yourself.’ {\cf2\super [319]}
So why do you judge your brother \{in Christ\}? Or why do you think that you are better than your brother? We will all stand before God, and he will judge us all.
And I will forgive the wrong things they do against me,\par and I will not remember their sins.”\par \i (Jeremiah 31:31-34)\i0 \par
Brothers and sisters, a person in your group might do something wrong. You people who are spiritual should go to the person who is sinning. You should help to make him right again. You should do this in a gentle way. But be careful! You might be tempted to sin, too.
I will tell you something. Go and learn what it means: ‘I don’t want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.’ {\cf2\super [106]} I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.”
No! We will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. Christ is the head \{and we are the body\}.
But now put these things out of your life: anger, being very mad, doing or saying things to hurt other people, and using evil words when you talk.
A good person has good things saved in his heart. And so he brings good things out of his heart. But an evil person has evil things saved in his heart. So he brings out bad things. A person speaks the things that are in his heart.
What great blessings there are for the people that are humble!\par They will have the land \{God promised\}. {\cf2\super [58]} \par
A person says, “I am in the light. {\cf2\super [4]} ” But if that person hates his brother or sister \{in Christ\}, then he is still in the darkness (sin).The person that loves his brothers and sisters lives in the light, and there is nothing in that person that will make him do wrong.But the person who hates his brother or sister is in darkness. He lives in darkness. That person does not know where he is going. Why? Because the darkness has made him blind.
The person that always tries to show love and kindness will have a good life, wealth, and honor.
The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. God doesn’t want any person to be lost. God wants every person to change his heart and stop sinning.
So let us try as hard as we can to do the things that make peace. And let us try to do the things that will help each other.
My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak. Don’t become angry easily.A person’s anger does not help him live right like God wants.
In Christ we are made free by Christ’s blood (death). We have forgiveness of sins because of God’s rich grace.
That is what you were called to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. You should do the same as he did. \{You should be patient when you suffer,\} because Christ suffered for you.“He (Christ) did no sin,\par and no lies were found in his mouth.”\par \i (Isaiah 53:9)\i0 \parPeople said bad things to Christ, but he did not say bad things to them. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten (speak against) the people. No! Christ let God take care of him. God is the One who judges rightly.
So do you think that you can judge those other people? You are wrong. You too are guilty of sin. You judge those people, but you do the same bad things they do. So when you judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty.
“Listen! I am sending you, and you will be like sheep among wolves. So be smart like snakes. But also be like doves and do nothing wrong.
We pray that the Lord will make your love grow. We pray that he will give you more and more love for each other and for all people. We pray that you will love all people like we love you.We pray this so that your hearts will be made strong. Then you will be holy {\cf2\super [11]} and without fault before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy people.
First, I tell you to pray for all people. Talk to God about them. Ask him for the things people need, and be thankful to him.You should pray for kings and for all people who have authority (power). Pray for those leaders so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives—lives full of worship and respect for God.
\{The Scripture {\cf2\super [24]} says,\}That person must stop doing evil\par and do good;\par that person should look for peace\par and try to get it.\par
If you forgive a person, then I also forgive that person. And what I have forgiven—if I had anything to forgive—I forgave it for you, and Christ was with me.I did this so that Satan (the Devil) would not win anything from us. We know very well what Satan’s plans are.
In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner changes his heart. There is more joy for that one sinner than there is for 99 good people that don’t need to change their hearts.
“Then the king will answer, ‘I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, {\cf2\super [389]} you also did for me.’
We are strong with faith. So we should help the people who are weak. We should help those people with their weaknesses. We should not try to please ourselves.Each of us should please other people. We should do this to help them. We should try to help them be stronger in faith.
Brothers and sisters, continue to think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.
The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God. You must love him with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ {\cf2\super [192]} Also, ‘You must love other people the same as you love yourself.’ {\cf2\super [193]} ”
I am your Lord and Teacher. But I washed your feet \{like a servant\}. So you also should wash each other’s feet.I did this as an example for you. So you should do \{for each other\} like I did for you.
In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that people will see the good things you do. Live so that people will praise your Father in heaven.
Young men, I have something to say to you, too. You should accept the authority of the elders. {\cf2\super [32]} All of you should be very humble with each other.So be humble under God’s powerful hand. Then he will lift you up when the right time comes.
You are brothers and sisters in Christ, so continue loving each other.Always remember to help people by accepting them into your home. Some people have done that and have helped angels without knowing it.
The whole law {\cf2\super [69]} is made complete in this one command: “Love other people the same as you love yourself.” {\cf2\super [70]}
Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. The person who loves has become God’s child. And so the person who loves knows God.
Now, brothers and sisters, I say good-bye. Try to be perfect. Do the things I have asked you to do. Agree in your minds with each other, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? No! Can trouble separate us from Christ’s love? No! Can problems or persecution {\cf2\super [70]} separate us from Christ’s love? No! If we have no food or clothes, will that separate us from Christ’s love? No! Will danger or even death separate us from Christ’s love? No!Like it is written in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [71]} :But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us.
If someone does something against you, don’t try to punish him yourself. Wait for the Lord! In the end, he will make you the winner.
My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if any person sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He is the righteous (good) One. Jesus defends us before God the Father.
What great blessings there are for the people that want to do right more than anything else {\cf2\super [59]} !\par God will fully satisfy them.\par
You should know that your body is a temple (house) for the Holy Spirit. {\cf2\super [40]} The Holy Spirit is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. You don’t own yourselves.You were bought \{by God\} at a price. So honor God with your bodies.
Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal. But there is one thing I always do: I forget the things that are past. I try as hard as I can to reach the goal that is before me.I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize. That prize is mine because God called me through Christ to the life above.
We know that in everything God works for the good of those people that love him. These are the people God called (chose), because that was his plan.
So the life that I live now is not really me—it is Christ living in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God (Jesus). Jesus is the One who loved me. He gave himself to save me.
Yes, you must show mercy to other people. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the person who shows mercy can stand without fear when he is judged.
“Father, if it is what you want, then let me not have this cup {\cf2\super [358]} \{of suffering\}. But do what you want, not what I want.”
We have those many people \{of faith\} around us. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we should be like them. We too should run the race that is before us and never stop trying. We should take away \{from our lives\} anything that would stop us. And we should take away the sin that so easily catches us.We should always follow the example of Jesus. Jesus is the leader in our faith. And he makes our faith perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But Jesus accepted the shame of the cross like it was nothing. He did this because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.
So do you think that we should continue sinning so that God will give us more and more grace (kindness)?No! We died to (quit living) our old sinful lives. So how can we continue living with sin?
God began doing good things with you. And God is continuing that work in you. God will finish that work in you when Jesus Christ comes again. I am sure of that.
I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. {\cf2\super [26]}I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love.
Then Jesus said, “Which one of these three men (the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan) do you think showed love to the man that was hurt by the robbers?”The teacher of the law answered, “The one that helped him.”
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, then it cannot be made salty again. Salt is good for nothing, if it loses its salty taste. It must be thrown out and people walk on it.“You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden.
The Word {\cf2\super [6]} (Christ) was full of grace and truth. From him we all received more and more blessings.
I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.Now, a crown (reward) is waiting for me. I will get that crown for being right with God. The Lord is the judge who judges rightly. He will give me the crown on that Day. {\cf2\super [21]} Yes! He will give that crown to me. He will give that crown to all people who have wanted him to come again and have waited for him.
I hope to visit you soon. Then we can be together and talk.Peace to you. The friends (believers) here with me send their love. Please give our love to each one of the friends there.
The Lord is my shepherd.\par I will always have everything I need. {\cf2\super [138]} \parHe lets me lie down in green pastures.\par He leads me by calm pools of water.\parHe gives new strength to my soul\par for the good of his name.\par He leads me on paths of goodness, {\cf2\super [139]} \par to show he is truly good.\par
Now you have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart.
You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. {\cf2\super [28]} Do all you can to continue together in this way. Let peace hold you together.
The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing the good things God wants you to do. Then all these other things you need will be given to you.
Yes, God is working in you. God helps you want to do the things that please him. And he gives you the power to do these things.
But you should keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer every person who asks you to explain about the hope you have.
Some people brought to Jesus a man that was paralyzed (crippled). The man was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that these people had much faith. So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, you’ll be glad to hear this! Your sins are forgiven.”
that you will use these things to live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way;\par that you will do all kinds of good things and grow in the knowledge of God;\par
“What great blessings there are for the people that \{know they\} have spiritual needs!\par The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.\par
So faith comes from hearing \{the Good News {\cf2\super [110]} \}. And people hear \{the Good News\} when a person tells them about Christ.
We know that any person who has been made God’s child does not continue to sin. The Son of God keeps God’s child safe. {\cf2\super [22]} The Evil One (the devil) cannot hurt that person.
In the past you were \{full of\} darkness (sin), but now you are \{full of\} light (goodness) in the Lord. So live like children who belong to the light.Light brings every kind of goodness, right living, and truth.
And we are also happy with the troubles we have. Why are we happy with troubles? Because we know that these troubles make us more patient.And this patience is proof that we are strong. And this proof gives us hope.
But if any of you needs wisdom, then you should ask God for it. God is generous. He enjoys giving to all people. So God will give you wisdom.
My God is very rich with the glory of Christ Jesus. God will use his riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need.
“I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.
When some people have troubles\par they stop being proud.\par The Lord is close to those humble people.\par He will save them. {\cf2\super [211]} \par
Lord, you give true peace\par to people who depend on you,\par to people who trust you.\par
Trust the Lord completely! Don’t depend on your own knowledge.Think about God in all that you do. Then he will help you.
I beg you brothers and sisters in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I beg that all of you agree with each other, so that there will be no divisions among you. I beg that you be completely joined together by having the same kind of thinking and the same purpose.