Forgiving others brings such freedom. It's like taking off a heavy backpack you've been carrying for way too long. There's a real beauty to forgiveness, and anyone who's experienced both giving and receiving it knows what I mean. God is our ultimate example, right? He shows us how it's done and calls us to practice it every single day.
So, I encourage you to forgive, just as Christ forgives you – every single day. It's time to let go and be free. Let's be real, in this life, someone is bound to hurt or offend you. But even then, we're called to learn to forgive and love again. Get that bitterness out of your system. Trust me, it'll help you grow and move forward. It'll even strengthen your relationship with God.
As children of God, we rejoice because we've received forgiveness for our sins through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. But it's important to remember that just as we've been forgiven, our hearts need to be ready to forgive others. Mark 11:251 says, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." As long as we repent and are faithful in forgiving others, God will completely forgive us. And that's when we can truly have a fresh start!
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.
But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.
forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots.
Then came Peter, and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.
Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honourable in the sight of all men.If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.
not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thine heart be glad when he is overthrown:
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD shall reward thee.
But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light.Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;redeeming the time, because the days are evil.Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell.
Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.
above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice:and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.
Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.
Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love: But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.
Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.In that day, he which shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back.Remember Lot's wife.Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.I say unto you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.There shall be two women grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.And they answering say unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where the body is, thither will the eagles also be gathered together.And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger; And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honour preferring one another;
Judge not, that ye be not judged.or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent?If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many be they that enter in thereby.For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it.Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but alway follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?
who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation;to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,even when we were dead through our trespasses, quickened us together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing,in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth,
And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released:
For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;
But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgement-seat of God.
Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, which is the head, even Christ;
But now put ye also away all these; anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy Findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another.
Ye know this, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you;to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men;but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works.Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection.But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness.For Adam was first formed, then Eve;and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression:but she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.
For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the person of Christ;that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, which need no repentance.
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.
Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; And let all the peoples praise him.And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be the root of Jesse, And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; On him shall the Gentiles hope.Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Ghost.And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.But I write the more boldly unto you in some measure, as putting you again in remembrance, because of the grace that was given me of God,that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Ghost; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ;Let each one of us please his neighbour for that which is good, unto edifying.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honourable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
If I then, the Lord and the Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.
Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;
Let love of the brethren continue.We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camp.Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate.Let us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come.Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this were unprofitable for you.Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honestly in all things.And I exhort you the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, When it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
Brethren, I count not myself yet to have apprehended: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.
I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live; and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
For judgement is without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgement.
saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,For they verily for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous, but grievous: yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness.Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees;and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected (for he found no place of repentance), though he sought it diligently with tears.For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them:looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof:neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered;and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?
being confident of this very thing, that he which began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:
that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbour unto him that fell among the robbers?And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. And Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith:henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day: and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.
And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently:
But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:
And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven.
to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth him, and the evil one toucheth him not.
For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light(for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
And not only so, but let us also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;and patience, probation; and probation, hope:
But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
And my God shall fulfill every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding:In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgement.