Bible Verses About Forgiveness: Being Forgiven and Forgiving Others
Bible verses about forgiveness teach that God forgives every sin that is honestly confessed and calls his people to forgive others in return. The best known are Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13, 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 103:12. Together they show forgiveness as a gift of grace and a choice to let go of revenge, not a way of excusing harm or pretending it never happened.
If you have come looking for Bible verses about forgiveness, you may be carrying something heavy. Perhaps you need to know that God can forgive what you have done. Perhaps someone has hurt you and you are trying to find a way to let go. Both questions are answered in Scripture, and this page takes them in turn.
Below you will find more than twenty-five passages from the NIV, each with a short explanation and grouped by the question it answers. We also look at the hard parts: forgiving someone who has not said sorry, the difference between forgiving and reconciling, where Christian traditions differ, and why safety always matters. Nothing here replaces the help of a doctor, counsellor or minister if you are struggling.
Contents
What do Bible verses about forgiveness say about God forgiving us?
Which Bible verses tell us to forgive other people?
What if the person who hurt me has not said sorry?
Does forgiving mean forgetting, trusting again or staying in danger?
Why does forgiveness matter for our wellbeing?
Where do Christians differ on forgiveness?
What does the parable of the prodigal son teach about forgiveness?
How can I put these Bible verses about forgiveness into practice?
A short prayer for forgiveness
Where can I get a free forgiveness printable?
Frequently asked questions about forgiveness in the Bible
What do Bible verses about forgiveness say about God forgiving us?
The Bible begins its teaching on forgiveness with God, not with us. Before Scripture asks anything of us, it shows a God who pardons. These verses are the foundation for everything else on this page.
God removes our sins completely
Psalm 103 is a song of David praising God's mercy. It says that "he does not treat us as our sins deserve" and then gives one of the best-loved images of forgiveness in the Bible: "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:10, 12 NIV). East and west never meet, so the picture is of sin put at a distance that cannot be crossed.
Isaiah uses colour instead of distance. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18 NIV). Later God says, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more" (Isaiah 43:25 NIV). Notice the reason given: forgiveness flows from God's own character, "for my own sake", and not from anything we have earned.
The prophet Micah ends his book in wonder: "You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19 NIV). When the Bible says God "remembers your sins no more", most Christians understand it to mean that he no longer holds them against us, not that he loses his memory. Our wider guide to Christianity and forgiveness goes further on that point.
God forgives when we turn back to him
Forgiveness in the Bible is offered freely, and it is received by turning towards God. Peter put it plainly: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out" (Acts 3:19 NIV). John gives the same promise to believers: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 NIV).
Notice the word "faithful". God forgives because he has promised to, and he keeps his promises. That is why Christians can pray for forgiveness with confidence rather than dread. King David knew how badly it was needed. After his great failure he prayed, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love" (Psalm 51:1 NIV).
God forgives through Jesus
The New Testament says this forgiveness came at a cost that God himself paid. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Ephesians 1:7 NIV). Paul says the same in Colossians 1:14, where redemption and "the forgiveness of sins" are held together. Christians believe that on the cross Jesus took the penalty for sin so that pardon could be given to anyone who asks.
If you want the full picture, read our guide to what salvation means in Christianity. For the wider question of what sin actually is, see what is sin.
Which Bible verses tell us to forgive other people?
Once the Bible has shown how much God forgives, it asks his people to pass that mercy on. The reasoning is simple and repeated: you have been forgiven, so forgive.
Forgive as you have been forgiven
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32 NIV). Paul writes something very close in Colossians: "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13 NIV).
Both verses set the standard at God's own forgiveness. That is a high bar, and Paul knows it. He says "bear with each other" first, which admits that people in the same family, church or workplace will keep giving one another something to forgive.
Forgive without keeping score
Peter once asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sinned against him, and offered what he thought was a generous answer of seven. Jesus replied, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:21-22 NIV). Some translations read "seventy times seven". Either way, the point is that forgiveness is a way of living and not a total to be counted.
Jesus teaches the same in Luke 6:37: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Proverbs 17:9 offers a quieter piece of wisdom: "Whoever would foster love covers over an offense." Choosing not to repeat or rehearse a wrong is itself a form of love. Proverbs 19:11 agrees: "A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense." For more on this kind of love, see our post on Bible verses about love.
Jesus forgave from the cross
The clearest example is Jesus himself. As he was being crucified, he prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34 NIV). He prayed this for the people who were killing him, and he did not wait for an apology first. It shows that forgiveness can begin in the heart of the person who was wronged, whatever the other person does next.
Forgiveness and prayer
Jesus connected forgiveness with prayer: "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25 NIV). The same idea sits inside the Lord's Prayer. If you are unsure how to begin, our complete guide to how to pray walks through it step by step.
What if the person who hurt me has not said sorry?
This is the question most readers carry. The Bible gives two answers that sit side by side, and it helps to hold both.
The first is that forgiveness can begin in your own heart, whatever the other person does. Jesus prayed for his killers while they were still at their work (Luke 23:34 NIV). Mark 11:25 tells us to forgive "if you hold anything against anyone" when we stand to pray, and it does not add "once they have apologised". Paul says, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil" (Romans 12:17 NIV), and the rest of that passage leaves justice in God's hands, not ours. Letting go of revenge frees you from carrying the other person around.
The second is that repair between two people usually needs repentance on both sides. Jesus said, "If they repent, forgive them" (Luke 17:3 NIV), and he spoke of being reconciled before bringing a gift to the altar: "first go and be reconciled to them" (Matthew 5:23-24 NIV). So many Christian teachers separate two things. Forgiveness is the inner decision to release resentment, and it does not depend on the other person. Reconciliation is the restoring of a relationship, and it needs honesty, change and time.
Joseph is the Bible's great example of the first. His brothers sold him into slavery, yet years later he told them, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good" (Genesis 50:20 NIV). Notice that he did not say what they did was fine. He named it as harm, and he chose not to take revenge.
Does forgiving mean forgetting, trusting again or staying in danger?
No. This is one of the most common misunderstandings, and it has kept some people in painful situations for far too long. The Mayo Clinic's page on forgiveness, last updated in January 2026, states that forgiveness "doesn't mean forgetting or excusing the harm done to you" and that it does not necessarily mean making up with the person who caused the harm.
Forgiving is not excusing. A wrong stays wrong. Forgiveness names it honestly and refuses to answer it with hatred.
Forgiving is not forgetting. You may always remember. The aim is that the memory loses its power to poison you.
Forgiving is not trusting straight away. Trust is rebuilt by changed behaviour over time. Forgiveness can be given in a day and trust can take years.
Forgiving is not staying in harm. Where there is abuse or ongoing harm, safety comes first, and reconciliation may never be safe or wise.
If you are in an abusive relationship, please speak to someone who can help. In the UK the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, is freephone on 0808 2000 247, and in an emergency you should call 999. Forgiving someone in your heart does not oblige you to stay near them or to keep silent about what happened. If your hurt has left you low or hopeless, our post on what the Bible says about depression gives gentle guidance, and a doctor or counsellor is always worth seeing alongside prayer.
Why does forgiveness matter for our wellbeing?
Christians forgive because God commands it and has shown it first, not as a health technique. Even so, it is worth noticing that the Bible's wisdom lines up with what clinicians describe. Mayo Clinic says that letting go of grudges and bitterness may lead to healthier relationships, improved mental health, less anxiety, stress and hostility, fewer symptoms of depression and lower blood pressure. It also notes that people who hold on to a grudge can become so wrapped up in a past wrong that they cannot enjoy the present.
Hebrews 12:15 gives the spiritual side of the same warning: "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble." Bitterness is pictured as a root. Left alone it spreads below the surface and then shows above it.
Forgiveness also matters to Christians as a matter of belief and practice. A Pew Research Center survey published in 2016 found that 69% of US Christians said forgiving those who have wronged them is essential to what being Christian means to them. That is a survey of American Christians, and it tells us what they say they believe, not how well anyone does it. Most of us find it easier to agree with forgiveness than to practise it.
Where do Christians differ on forgiveness?
Christians agree that God forgives and that his people must forgive. They do not all agree on every detail, and it is fair to say so.
How a sinner receives God's forgiveness. Catholic teaching ties forgiveness to the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. The Catechism says that those who approach it "obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him" and are reconciled with the Church (paragraph 1422). Orthodox churches also practise confession with a priest. Many Protestants emphasise confessing directly to God through Christ, citing 1 John 1:9, and some also confess to a trusted believer, following James 5:16: "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (NIV).
Whether forgiveness must wait for repentance. Some teachers stress Luke 17:3 and hold that full forgiveness is offered when someone repents. Others stress Luke 23:34 and Mark 11:25 and say the heart should be released from resentment at once, with reconciliation waiting for repentance. Many hold both together, as above.
How to read Matthew 6:14-15. Jesus says, "If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (NIV). Most readers take this to mean that a heart that has received mercy will show mercy, and that refusing to forgive is a sign something is wrong. Traditions differ on how closely God's forgiveness is tied to ours, so it is worth reading it slowly with your own minister.
To see how doctrine shapes these questions, read our guide to what salvation means in Christianity. If you are wondering about the more serious wrongdoings people struggle to forgive, the seven deadly sins post explains how the church has thought about wrath and pride.
What does the parable of the prodigal son teach about forgiveness?
Jesus' story in Luke 15 is the most vivid picture of forgiveness in the Bible. A younger son asks for his inheritance, wastes it, and returns home hoping only to be taken on as a servant. What happens next is the heart of the story: "while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him" (Luke 15:20 NIV). The father runs to meet him before the son has said a word of his rehearsed apology.
Three lessons stand out. God's forgiveness is eager and not grudging. It meets us on the road, not at the door. And it restores us as sons and daughters, not as employees on probation. The older brother in the same story shows the other side. He cannot rejoice because he is angry that mercy was given freely. Jesus ends the parable without telling us whether he went in to the feast, which invites each reader to ask what they would do.
Elsewhere Jesus explains the link between forgiveness and love: "whoever has been forgiven little loves little" (Luke 7:47 NIV). Those who know how much they have been forgiven tend to find it easier to forgive.
How can I put these Bible verses about forgiveness into practice?
Forgiveness is rarely a single moment. For deep hurts it is a path you walk, sometimes returning to the same decision many times. These steps are a starting point and not a formula.
Be honest about the hurt. Name what happened and how it affected you. Many of the psalms do exactly this before God, and Psalm 51 shows the same honesty about our own failings.
Ask for help. Mayo Clinic suggests talking with a trusted friend, a mental health professional or a spiritual leader. A minister or pastor can pray with you and help you think it through.
Pray for the willingness to forgive. You may not feel it yet. You can ask God to make you willing, and that is a real prayer.
Decide to release the debt. Hand the wrong to God, who judges fairly. This is a choice of the will first and a feeling later.
Set sensible boundaries. Forgiving someone does not mean giving them the same access to you. Protect yourself and others where there is a risk.
Receive God's forgiveness for yourself. If guilt over your own wrongs weighs on you, return to 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 103:12, and believe them.
Repeat as needed. If the memory returns and the anger with it, forgive again. Jesus' "seventy-seven times" allows for that.
Many readers find it helps to write a short list of the verses that speak to them most and keep it where they will see it each morning. For a gentler way into the Bible if you are not used to reading it, see our guide on how to start reading the Bible.
A short prayer for forgiveness
You may pray this in your own words. It is only an example.
Lord, you know what I have done and what has been done to me. I confess my failings to you, and I trust your promise to forgive. Thank you for the mercy of Jesus. Give me a heart that can forgive as I have been forgiven. Where I cannot yet, make me willing. Heal what is broken, protect me where I am at risk, and lead me in peace. Amen.
Where can I get a free forgiveness printable?
We have made a free printable that gathers key forgiveness verses on one page, for a journal, a fridge or a Bible study group. It needs no sign-up. You will find it, with many more, on our Free Downloads page.
Frequently asked questions about forgiveness in the Bible
What is the best Bible verse about forgiveness?
Many Christians point to Ephesians 4:32: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (NIV). For receiving forgiveness, 1 John 1:9 is the most quoted. Which verse is best depends on whether you need to be forgiven or to forgive.
Does God forgive every sin?
The Bible teaches that God's mercy is wide, and 1 John 1:9 promises forgiveness to those who confess. Christians read other passages differently, including Jesus' words about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, so if that worries you, speak to a minister. Few readers who are troubled by their sin are the people those warnings describe.
Do I have to forgive someone who is not sorry?
Many Christian teachers say you can release resentment and leave justice to God even if they never apologise, based on Luke 23:34 and Mark 11:25. Reconciliation is different and usually needs repentance, as in Luke 17:3. You are never required to put yourself in danger.
Does forgiving mean forgetting?
No. Forgiving means letting go of revenge and bitterness, not wiping out memory. Mayo Clinic says forgiveness does not mean forgetting or excusing the harm. When Isaiah 43:25 says God remembers sins no more, Christians generally understand that he no longer holds them against us.
How many times should I forgive?
Jesus told Peter, "not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:21-22 NIV). The point is that forgiveness is a way of living and not a number to count. It does not mean you must tolerate repeated harm.
Can I forgive myself?
The Bible speaks of God's forgiveness, and Christians believe that if he has forgiven you, you may accept it. Psalm 103:12 says he has removed our transgressions as far as the east is from the west. Persistent guilt or shame can be a sign to seek support from a minister or counsellor.
Is forgiveness the same as reconciliation?
No. Forgiveness is one person's decision to release resentment. Reconciliation is the restoring of a relationship and needs both people, along with trust that has been earned. Forgiveness can be complete even where reconciliation is not possible or not safe.
Key takeaways
God forgives sin that is honestly confessed (1 John 1:9) and removes it completely (Psalm 103:12).
Christians are asked to forgive as they have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13).
Forgiveness is not forgetting, excusing, trusting at once or staying in danger.
Forgiving is one person's choice. Reconciliation needs both people and, often, repentance.
Traditions differ on confession and on how Matthew 6:14-15 is read, and it is fair to say so.
If you are being harmed or are struggling, speak to someone: a minister, a doctor or a support service.
References and further reading
Last reviewed on 23 October 2026. Every Bible quotation above was checked word for word against the NIV text on Bible Gateway, and the Mayo Clinic, Pew, Catechism and helpline pages were opened and read for this post. The Bible text is from the NIV (New International Version).
Explore more Christian guides on Jesus Light Studio and read our wider guide to Christianity and forgiveness.
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