Scriptures On Forgiveness: What Does the Bible Say?

Looking for Scriptures on forgiveness? Here are several Bible verses about how to forgive and what to do when you’re battling with unforgiveness.

When you have been hurt and the pain is deep, forgiveness may seem impossible, but living with bitterness and resentment in your heart can poison your soul and destroy you. It will hurt you far more than the other person, who may not even realize he or she has upset you.

Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die. – Anne Lamott

If unforgiveness is something you struggle with, this article is for you. It contains key Scriptures on forgiveness that can serve as a guide. The Bible exhorts us to forgive others just as we have been forgiven through the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross. No matter what our transgressions may have been, God is always willing to forgive us when we repent and turn to Him. He commands us to extend this same grace to those who have offended us as well.

Forgiveness is a choice. It is something you will yourself to do in obedience to God. This does not mean you are condoning what the person did, but you are letting go of the grip his or her offense has on you and releasing him or her to God. Forgiveness has the power to transform anger and hurt into healing and peace and to set you free to move forward with your own life.

What do the Scriptures on forgiveness say?

We are all in need of forgiveness.

All of us have been born into sin, eternally separated from God, but God is merciful and willing to forgive us when we repent and turn to Him.

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

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23, NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16, NIV

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

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. – Colossians 1:13-14, NIV

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

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

To be forgiven, you also need to forgive.

If you turn your bitterness and resentment over to God and rely on Him to help you forgive, He will enable you to do it through the power of His Holy Spirit.

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. –Matthew 6:14-15, NIV

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

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

Release the person who offended you to God.

Forgiving does not mean excusing wrongdoing or necessarily reconciling with the person who wronged you. It means releasing them from their indebtedness to you and letting God deal with the offense.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” – Romans 12:19, NIV

Harboring bitterness and resentment in your heart is sin.

When you are unwilling to forgive, it blocks your fellowship with God and prevents you from receiving all that He has to offer you. Furthermore, bitterness is like a destructive root that grows deep and becomes harder to pull out the longer you allow it to fester in your heart.

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. – Hebrews 12:15, NIV

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. – Ephesians 4:26-27, NIV

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling, and slander, along with every form of malice. – Ephesians 4:31, NIV

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. – Matthew 5:23-24, ESV

God requires you to forgive even those who don’t deserve it.

Jesus gives us the perfect example from the cross where He hung in agony after being rejected, beaten, mocked, and spat upon.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” – Luke 23:34, NIV

Do not repay evil with evil, or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. – 1 Peter 3:9, NIV

There is no limit on how many times you need to forgive others.
It may seem impossible to keep forgiving someone who has wronged you over and over again, but Jesus makes it clear that there should be no limit so long as the person who offended you repents and asks you to forgive him or her.

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, ESV

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

There are consequences for choosing not to forgive.

When you refuse to forgive others, you forfeit the forgiveness that was granted to you. Jesus makes this point clear in his Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35). A servant’s master forgives him of an enormous debt so large there would be no way for him to be able to repay it.

The servant then refuses to forgive the small debt another servant owes him. When his master finds out about this, he cancels his prior forgiveness and sends the unforgiving servant to jail.

And in anger, his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. – Matthew 18:34-35, ESV

God commands you to follow Jesus’ example.

Just as God extends His mercy, kindness, and compassion toward us, He expects us to do the same for those who have done us wrong.

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

If you have questions, need support beyond these Scriptures on forgiveness, or are struggling with unforgiveness and would like to make an appointment to meet with a faith-based counselor, please give us a call.