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 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 abuse you.

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

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

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he 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: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

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 is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogantor rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to 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 does he remove our transgressions from us.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave 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 the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just 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, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.Remember Lot’s wife.Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left.There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

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

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

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

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

“Judge not, that you be not judged.Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

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

And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.

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

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

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

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

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

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

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,so that he may establish 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 urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.For Adam was formed first, then Eve;and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Just so, I tell you, 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 them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.”And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by Godto be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

And he answered, “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, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Let brotherly love continue.We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

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

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

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, 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 temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining 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. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempestand the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

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

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

You therefore must 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 among the robbers?”He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.Henceforth 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 that we have toward 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 that we have asked of him.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

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

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

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

so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

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

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

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

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

And my God will supply every need of yours 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. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

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

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Prayer