What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness? 8 Verses and What Each One Means
The main Bible verses about forgiveness are Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 6:14-15, Colossians 3:13 and 1 John 1:9. Ephesians 4:32 sets the measure: forgive "just as God also in Christ forgave you". Matthew 6:14-15 ties the forgiveness we give to the forgiveness we receive. Colossians 3:13 adds the harder verb: bearing with one another before forgiving. 1 John 1:9 speaks from the other side, that of the person who needs forgiving: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins". This page collects 8 Bible verses about forgiveness with the full text, the reference and a one-line explanation for each.
Forgiving is one of the hardest things the Bible asks — and one of the things it promises most. It describes God's forgiveness with generous images: sins removed as far as the east is from the west, scarlet turned white as snow. And it ties the forgiveness we receive to the forgiveness we give: "forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you". Peter asks whether seven times is enough; Jesus answers seventy times seven, that is, without counting. Forgiving does not mean saying the wrong did not matter, nor does it require returning to an unsafe situation; it means releasing the right to collect. The verses below help on both sides: for those carrying guilt and for those carrying hurt. Read them slowly and, if it applies, with a name in mind.
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
Colossians 3:13If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.
Luke 6:37Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:12“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18
Frequently asked questions
How many times should I forgive?
Jesus answers Peter in Matthew 18:22: "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven" — a number that means "stop counting".
Does forgiving mean forgetting?
No. Forgiving is giving up the right to collect the debt; the memory may remain, and healthy boundaries still apply. What changes is the weight you carry.
How do I ask God for forgiveness?
1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive. Say honestly what you did, ask for forgiveness and accept that you have been forgiven.
See also
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.