Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
Context and meaning
The verse closes a list of very practical instructions on living together: speak the truth, do not let the sun go down on your anger, do not steal, let no corrupt speech come out of your mouth.
After forbidding bitterness, wrath, clamor and slander, the text offers the replacement: kindness, compassion and forgiveness. It is an exchange, not merely a prohibition.
The measure of forgiveness is given at the end and shifts the standard: "even as God also in Christ forgave you". The benchmark is not the size of the offense received, but the forgiveness already received.
It is worth reading verse 26 of the same chapter alongside it: "Be angry, and don't sin. Don't let the sun go down on your wrath." The Bible does not forbid anger; it forbids anger settling in and taking up residence.
It is one of the texts most read at family reconciliations and in counseling about old hurt.
This verse appears in
Scripture text: World English Bible (WEB), public domain. Prayers, introductions and reflections: original text by this site, not affiliated with any denomination. Devotional content; it does not replace medical, psychological or legal advice.
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