Bible Verses About Forgiveness: On Forgiving Others and Being Forgiven

If you need forgiveness, or if you are having a hard time forgiving someone else, let these Bible verses about forgiveness inspire you and serve as a guideline for you to follow. Let them also help you to find the freedom and peace to forgive as you are reminded of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and how through His undeserved love you were forgiven and set free from your sins and given the gift of eternal life (John 3:16).

To forgive is to show love, and love is the most important thing anyone can offer anyone else – a family member, friend, or stranger. God commands us to forgive one another, just as we ourselves have been forgiven. Let’s consider some key Bible verses about forgiveness.

Key Bible Verses About Forgiveness

All of us need forgiveness.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23, NIV

God is a merciful and forgiving God.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. – Psalm 86:5, NIV

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. – Daniel 9:9, NIV

For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him. – 2 Chronicles 30:9b, NIV

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. – Joel 2:13, NIV

If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV

Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. – Isaiah 55:7, NIV

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. – Hebrews 8:12, NIV

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. – Psalm 32:5, NIV

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. – Psalm 130:3-4, NIV

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. – Isaiah 1:18, NIV

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he [God] removed our transgressions from us. – Psalm 103:12, NIV

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. – Micah 7:18, NIV

Jesus died on the cross for us so that by His blood we could be forgiven of our sins and God would no longer hold them against us. The only requirement is that we confess our sins, repent of them, and trust Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. – Proverbs 28:13, NIV

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

All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. – Acts 10:39-43 , NIV

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. – Colossians 2:13-14, NIV

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. – Ephesians 1:7-8, NIV

Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. – Acts 13:38-39, NIV

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. – 1 John 2:2, NIV

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. – Acts 2:38, NIV

Failure to forgive is not an option. Once we have experienced the forgiveness of God, we are commanded to extend that same grace and forgiveness to others.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32, NIV

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

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. – Proverbs 17:9, NIV

Hatred stirs old quarrels, but love overlooks insults. – Proverbs 10:12, NIV

So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” – Luke 17:3-4, NIV

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. – James 5:16, NIV

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. – Isaiah 43:18, NIV

Harboring bitterness in your heart is sin. We have all wronged God far more than we have been wronged by other people, and yet He is always willing to forgive us. When you are unwilling to forgive, not only will it break your fellowship with God and prevent you from experiencing everything that He has to offer you, but it can also have a seriously detrimental effect on your own physical and emotional health – not the other person’s.

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

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matthew 6:15, NIV

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. – Luke 6:37, NIV

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” – Matthew 18:21-22, NIV

Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” – Matthew 18:33-35, NIV

Christian Counseling For Unforgiveness

Christian counseling involves a combination of biblical principles and clinical intervention. If you are looking for support beyond these Bible verses about forgiveness or you’re struggling with unforgiveness and having trouble handling the process on your own, please give us a call today at Texas Christian Counseling. We would be happy to answer your questions and/or set up an appointment with a Christian counselor in Texas to discuss how we can help you manage the challenges you are facing and walk you through the healing process.