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 tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

“For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.

And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided His clothes and cast lots.

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times? ”“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.

not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.

Don’t gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

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

Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

The peacemakers are blessed, for they will be called sons of God.

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen.And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.

But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited,does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs.Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children.discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.Everything exposed by the light is made clear,for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise —making the most of the time, because the days are evil.So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music from your heart to the Lord,And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.

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

Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.

All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

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

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

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness — without it no one will see the Lord.Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.

Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.It will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.On that day, a man on the housetop, whose belongings are in the house, must not come down to get them. Likewise the man who is in the field must not turn back.Remember Lot’s wife!Whoever tries to make his life secure will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.I tell you, on that night two will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other will be left.Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.Two will be in a field: One will be taken, and the other will be left. ”“Where, Lord? ” they asked Him. He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God.

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

Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

The merciful are blessed, for they will be shown mercy.

A person’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor.

“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them — this is the Law and the Prophets.“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it.How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, rich in faithful love to all who call on You.

See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.

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

Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus,

This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you.

Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you? ’

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

Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.

when He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He was suffering, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.

For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

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

Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ 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 He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us,made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

He adds: I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts.

So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart.”

The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient,instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.

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

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

When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it,

A fool’s displeasure is known at once, but whoever ignores an insult is sensible.

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

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

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

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love.

The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.

For I will be merciful to their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.

Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.

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

A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings disaster on himself.

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head — Christ.

But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

The gentle are blessed, for they will inherit the earth.

The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love will find life, righteousness, and honor.

The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.

My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.

We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps.He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth;when He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He was suffering, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.

Therefore, any one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.

“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.

And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we also do for you.May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,but with good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God.A woman should learn in silence with full submission.I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent.For Adam was created first, then Eve.And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.But she will be saved through childbearing, if she continues in faith, love, and holiness, with good judgment.for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it,

If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven — if I have forgiven anything — it is for you in the presence of Christ.I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.

I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.

“And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves.Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!And again: Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; all the peoples should praise Him!And again, Isaiah says: The root of Jesse will appear, the One who rises to rule the Gentiles; the Gentiles will hope in Him.Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.My brothers, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by Godto be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of God’s good news. My purpose is that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God.For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed,by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the good news about the Messiah from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum.Each one of us must 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 moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things.

Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.

He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

Your every action must be done with love.

So if I, 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 for you.

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

In the same way, you younger men, be subject to the elders. And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time,

Let brotherly love continue.We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle do not have a right to eat.For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the most holy place by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that He might sanctify the people by His own blood.Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace.For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come.Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.Pray for us; for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything.And I especially urge you to pray that I may be restored to you very soon.Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.

For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.

Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil! ” Wait on the Lord, and He will rescue you.

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the Righteous One.

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled.

Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases?for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one it belongs to.

Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

“Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me — nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness.No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.Therefore strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees,and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness — without it no one will see the Lord.Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal.For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears.For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm,to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. (Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them,keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

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

What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?For in light of the fact that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in light of the fact that He lives, He lives to God.So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires.And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey — either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to,and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit,and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? ”“The one who showed mercy to him,” he said. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men.“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.

Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.

Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake.

By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.

but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

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

so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

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

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light —for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth —

And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance,endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.

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

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.

The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.

You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.

Prayer