21 Hopeful Bible Verses About Forgiveness

What Does The Bible Say About Forgiveness?

Forgiveness is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. The Bible teaches us that God forgives us and loves us unconditionally. That’s why Bible verses about forgiving others are so important. They remind us how the Lord views our mistakes and how He wants us to respond to those who have wronged us.

Scriptures talking about forgiveness emphasize God's grace, mercy, and love that He extends to every person regardless of their sins is all throughout the Word. 

They also call on Believers to follow the Lord's example in forgiving others as He has forgiven them, as this will lead to unity among all people of faith who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. 

Furthermore, these verses help Christians understand that God does not expect perfection from them but rather encourages them to strive for righteousness through grace and faith.

Scriptures on forgiving therefore serve as an indispensable reminder for all Christians that no matter what sins we have committed or what wrongs have been done against us, God always offers redemption. All He asks is that we seek forgiveness quickly with repentant hearts filled with love for Him above all else.

The following hopeful Bible verses will be a blessing to you.

Here's our list:

Ephesians 4:31-32 - Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Psalm 103:12 - As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Proverbs 17:9 - He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 12:17 - Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Colossians 3:12-13 - Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Numbers 14:18 - The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Mark 11:25 - And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Isaiah 55:7 - Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Ephesians 1:7-8 - In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Psalm 103:10-14 - He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Matthew 6:14-15 - 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.

Jeremiah 31:34 - And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Hebrews 8:12 - For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Luke 6:37 - Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Daniel 9:9 - To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

Matthew 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Romans 7:1 - Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Micah 7:18-20 - Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

What Jesus said about forgiveness?

Jesus, the Son of God, spoke highly and often about the importance of forgiveness. In His teachings, Jesus emphasized that forgiving was a necessary part of Christian life and that God was always willing to forgive us if we asked Him. Jesus even went so far as to tell His followers to “forgive from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).

This is also illustrated in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-22), in which Jesus teaches about God's mercy and encourages us to forgive our brothers seventy times seven. Through this parable, Jesus makes it clear that the Lord expects us to be forgiving and merciful towards each other just as He is merciful and forgiving with us.

In addition, Jesus taught that true forgiveness comes from deep within our hearts. He said, “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts” (Mark 7:21). This is an important reminder that it is only when we truly forgive someone that God will grant us full forgiveness.

Jesus taught us how to properly ask the Lord for forgiveness by saying, “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34). This powerful statement serves as a reminder that God will not only forgive us, but also those who have wronged us if we are willing to ask Him.

Lastly, Jesus made it clear in His teachings what God expects of us when it comes to forgiveness. He said “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). By doing this, Jesus shows us how He wants us to live in harmony with each other by being forgiving and merciful with one another.

In conclusion, through His teachings on forgiving, Jesus gives us a powerful reminder of the Lord's compassion as well as providing practical guidance on how we can properly practice the art of forgiving.

What does Matthew 6:14 say about forgiveness?

The Bible scripture verse from Matthew 6:14 states, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” This verse is a reminder to us of God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness. That He extends to us the same grace and mercy we extend to those around us. In other words, it is a call for us to be kind and forgiving, just as He is kind and forgiving to us.

We can see the importance the Lord places on forgiving others in His teachings by looking at this passage in greater detail. Jesus is using language here that suggests that God will not only forgive us when we forgive others, but that He actively requires it of us.

God is asking us to extend our forgiveness even further than what might seem reasonable. He asks that we go beyond simply tolerating each other’s shortcomings or overlooking them. Rather He asks that we actually forgive each other for their wrongdoings.

This speaks volumes about the Lord's heart - He doesn’t just want superficial peace between people - He wants people to genuinely feel forgiven and accepted by each other. If we can sincerely accept this call from God and learn to embody this type of grace-filled forgiveness in our interactions with one another, then we can come closer to experiencing His love for each of His children more deeply.

What are the 7 steps to forgiveness?

• Step 1: Admit and acknowledge the wrong.
• Step 2: Take into account how the wrong has hurt you or someone else.
• Step 3: Accept that what has been done is done.
• Step 4: Decide that you will forgive.
• Step 5: Do what you can to make things right.
• Step 6: Learn the lesson that this has taught you.
• Step 7: Forgive the other person and/or yourself.

What Psalm is for forgiveness?

The Bible is full of passages that emphasize the Lord's forgiveness and give us guidance on how to forgive others. One of the most well-known Psalms about forgiving is Psalm 103. In this pass of scripture, God's love and mercy are extolled as He forgives us of our sins and transgressions. 

The Psalmist writes: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy; who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." 

With these words, we can see the Lord's abundant love for us in forgiving us of our sins, healing our diseases and redeeming us from the pit. His love for us is so powerful that it renews us like eagles, giving us new strength and hope to live with joyous hearts.

Psalm 86 also speaks about forgiveness towards humankind. In this passage, the Psalmist firmly believes in God's power to forgive him: “Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: Unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: And I will glorify thy name forevermore." Here again we can see God's great willingness to forgive human beings even when they have sinned against him again and again.

Psalm 130 also offers a beautiful prayer for forgiveness: “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord…if thou Lord should mark iniquities…who can stand? But there is forgiveness with thee…I wait for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning…My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning…" In this passage we are reminded that the Lord desires forgiveness rather than judgement or punishment towards His people - a clear indication of how powerful His mercy and grace are.