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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if you do not forgive men for their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

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

Bear with one another and forgive one another. If anyone has a quarrel against anyone, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they divided His clothes by casting lots.

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Repay no one evil for evil. Commend what is honest in the sight of all men.If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Do not repay evil for evil, or curse for curse, but on the contrary, bless, knowing that to this you are called, so that you may receive a blessing.

Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be joyful 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 hot coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Be therefore merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

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

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

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For whoever does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?We have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and the evil.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love flaunts not itself and is not puffed up,does not behave itself improperly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children.proving what is pleasing to the Lord.And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; instead, expose them.For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.But all things are exposed when they are revealed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise men,making the most of the time because the days are evil.Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.Do not be drunk with wine, for that is reckless living. But be filled with the Spirit.Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine. 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 things, have unfailing love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you.And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also 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 an evil person. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other as well.

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

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

Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.

Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord,watching diligently so that no one falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up to cause trouble, and many become defiled by it,

He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates the best of friends.

Take heed to yourselves. “If your brother sins against you, 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 him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away. And likewise let him who is in the field not return to the things behind.Remember Lot’s wife.Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.I tell you, on that night two men will be in one bed; the one will be taken and the other will be left.Two women will be grinding grain together; the one will be taken and the other will be left.Two men will be in the field; the one will be taken and the other will be left.”They asked, “Where, Lord?” He replied, “Where the body is, there the vultures will be gathered together.”If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed us, for the glory of God.

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

So embrace, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a spirit of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering.Bear with one another and forgive one another. If anyone has a quarrel against anyone, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

The discretion of a man defers his anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Be devoted to one another with brotherly love; prefer one another in honor,

“Judge not, that you be not judged.Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?If you then, being 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!Therefore, everything you would like men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“Enter at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who are going through it,because small is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?Even so, every good tree bears good fruit. But a corrupt tree bears evil fruit.A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured again for you.

For You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in mercy to all who call on You.

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone. But always seek to do good to one another and to all.

By this we know the love of God: that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Love works no evil to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

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, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

This is My commandment: that you love one another, as I have loved you.

Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you?’

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

Let go of anger and forsake wrath; fret not—it leads only to evil.

When He was reviled, He did not revile back; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but He entrusted Himself to Him who judges righteously.

For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation,that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

then He adds, “Their sins and lawless deeds will I remember no more.”

“So also My heavenly Father will do to each of you, if from your heart you do not forgive your brother for his trespasses.”

The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people, able to teach, patient,in gentleness instructing those in opposition. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth,

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven.

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, how much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life!

So when they continued asking 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.

A fool’s anger is shown at once, but a prudent man ignores an insult.

With all humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another in love,

Let nothing be done out of strife or conceit, but in humility let each esteem the other better than himself.

We labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

So why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For I will be merciful toward their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Brothers, if a man is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, watching yourselves, lest you also be tempted.

But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

The merciful man does good for his own soul, but a cruel man troubles his own flesh.

But, speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the head, Christ Himself,

But now you must also put away all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language out of your mouth.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bears what is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bears what is evil. For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

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

He who pursues righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.

The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Therefore let us pursue the things which produce peace and the things that build up one another.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations,for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.

Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.

In Him we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace,

For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:“He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.”When He was reviled, He did not revile back; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but He entrusted Himself to Him who judges righteously.

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judges, for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge do the same things.

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

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all men, even as we do for you.To this end may He establish your hearts to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,but with good works, which is proper for women professing godliness.Let a woman learn in silence with all obedience.I do not permit a woman to teach or to usurp authority over a man, but to be silent.For Adam was formed first, then Eve.And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, fell into sin.Yet she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.for kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty,

For “He who would 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.

Whomever you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave someone anything, for your sakes I forgave it in Christ,lest Satan should take advantage of us. For we are not ignorant of his devices.

Likewise, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous men who need no repentance.

“The King will answer, ‘Truly I say to you, as you have done it for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you have done it for Me.’

We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not please ourselves.He also says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples praise Him.”And again Isaiah says: “There shall be a Root of Jesse; He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles hope.”Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.Now I myself am persuaded concerning you, my brothers, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and also able to instruct one another.Nevertheless, brothers, I have written even more boldly to you on some points, to remind you, because of the grace that is given to me from God,that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.In Christ Jesus therefore I have reason to boast in my service to God.For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good.

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 with 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 should do as I have done to you.

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Likewise you younger ones, submit yourselves to the elders. Yes, all of you be submissive one to another and clothe yourselves with humility, because “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Let brotherly love continue.We have an altar from which those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat.For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest on account of sin, are burned outside the camp.Therefore Jesus also, so that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that He bore.For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.Through Him, then, let us continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.But do not forget to do good and to share. For with such sacrifices God is well pleased.Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. Let them do this with joy and not complaining, for that would not be profitable to you.Pray for us. For we trust that we have a good conscience and in all things are willing to live honestly.But I implore you to pray, that I may be restored to you very soon.Do not forget to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unknowingly.

For the entire law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind, and 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 peril, or sword?As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Do not say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait on the Lord, and He will save you.

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

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God, and that you are not your own?Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

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

Brothers, I do not count myself to have attained, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,I press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to 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 my body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

For he who has shown no mercy will have judgment without mercy, for mercy triumphs over judgment.

“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Therefore, since we are encompassed with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.For they indeed disciplined us for a short time according to their own judgment, but He does so for our profit, that we may partake of His holiness.Now no discipline seems to be joyful at the time, but grievous. Yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness in those who have been trained by it.Therefore lift up your tired hands, and strengthen your weak knees.Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame go out of joint, but rather be healed.Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord,watching diligently so that no one falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up to cause trouble, and many become defiled by it,lest there be any sexually immoral or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and storm,and to the sound of a trumpet and to a voice speaking words, such that those who heard them begged that the word not be spoken to them anymore.Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher 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 corrupts good morals.”

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may increase?For the death He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life He lives, He lives to God.Likewise, you also consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield yourselves to God, as those who are alive from the dead, and your bodies to God as instruments of righteousness.For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid!Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves to obey, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?But thanks be to God, for you were slaves of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of teaching to which you were entrusted,and having been freed from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness.I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for just as you have yielded your members as slaves to impurity and iniquity leading to more iniquity, even so now yield your members as slaves to righteousness unto holiness.God forbid! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

that He would give you, according to the riches of His glory, power to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man,and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Therefore be complete, even as your Father who is in heaven is complete.

“Now which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”He said, “The one who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how shall it be made salty? It is from then on good for nothing but to be thrown out and to be trampled underfoot by men.“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

We have all received from His fullness grace upon grace.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith.From now on a crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.

This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.So if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him.

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

Since your souls have been purified by obedience to the truth through the Spirit unto a genuine brotherly love, love one another deeply with a pure heart,

be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you.

For God is the One working in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear.

And behold, they brought to Him a man sick with paralysis, lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven you.”

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

that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing to all, being fruitful 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 then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We know that whoever is born of God does not keep on sinning. But whoever has been born of God guards himself, and the wicked one cannot touch him.

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

Not only so, but we also boast in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces patience,patience produces character, and character produces hope.

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

But my God shall supply your every need according to His riches in glory by 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 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the contrite of spirit.

You will 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 lean not on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,

Now I ask you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak in agreement and that there be no divisions among you. But be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Prayer