60 Powerful Bible Verses About Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one of the central themes of Scripture—it’s the heart of the gospel, the foundation of healthy relationships, and the key to spiritual freedom.

The Bible contains over 60 powerful verses about forgiveness that cover three essential aspects: God’s forgiveness of our sins through Christ’s sacrifice, our responsibility to forgive those who wrong us, and the importance of seeking forgiveness when we’ve hurt others.

These scriptures span both Old and New Testaments, from David’s penitential psalms to Jesus’s teachings on unlimited mercy, from Isaiah’s promises of divine pardon to Paul’s instructions for Christian community. Whether you’re struggling to forgive someone who’s hurt you deeply, seeking God’s forgiveness for your own failures, or wondering how to restore a broken relationship, the Bible offers clear guidance, profound hope, and practical wisdom for every forgiveness situation you’ll face.

Why Forgiveness Matters So Much in the Bible

Let me be honest with you—forgiveness is one of those topics I wish the Bible was less clear about.

You know what I mean? Like, wouldn’t it be convenient if Jesus had said, “Forgive people who deserve it” or “Forgive when you feel like it”? But no. Scripture is relentlessly, almost uncomfortably clear: forgiveness isn’t optional for Christians. It’s central to everything we believe.

Here’s why it matters so much. God forgave us an impossible debt—every sin, every betrayal, every time we chose ourselves over Him. And if we’ve truly grasped how much we’ve been forgiven, we can’t withhold forgiveness from others. It’s like Jesus said in that parable about the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-35): when someone who’s been forgiven millions refuses to forgive pennies, it reveals they never really understood grace in the first place.

But here’s what I’ve learned (the hard way, through years of holding grudges I’m not proud of): forgiveness isn’t primarily about the other person. It’s about freedom. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It chains us to our worst moments, keeps us stuck in cycles of bitterness, and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace.

The Bible talks about forgiveness in three distinct but interconnected ways:

1. God’s forgiveness of us (the gospel foundation)
2. Our forgiveness of others (the Christian duty)
3. Seeking forgiveness from others (the humility of repentance)

And honestly? We need all three. We need to receive forgiveness, extend it, and ask for it. That’s the complete picture of what it means to live in grace.

Part 1: God’s Forgiveness of Our Sins (20 Verses)

This is where it all starts. Before we can talk about forgiving others or seeking forgiveness, we need to understand what God has done for us.

The Foundation: Christ’s Sacrifice and God’s Mercy

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.” (ESV)

This is probably the most quoted verse about forgiveness in the entire Bible, and for good reason. It’s a promise: when we honestly confess our sins, God doesn’t just forgive—He cleanses. There’s no sin too big, no failure too shameful, no pattern too entrenched. Confession + God’s faithfulness = complete forgiveness.

Acts 2:38 – “And Peter said to them, ‘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.'” (ESV)

Peter’s preaching on Pentecost connects forgiveness with repentance and the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness isn’t just legal pardon—it’s transformation. We turn from sin, we’re forgiven, and then God gives us His Spirit to help us live differently.

Acts 3:19 – “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.” (ESV)

I love this image—sins blotted out. Not just forgiven but erased, removed from the record. It’s like when teachers used to use overhead projectors (I’m dating myself here), and they’d wipe away the ink with one swipe. That’s what God does with our sins when we repent.

Ephesians 1:7 – “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” (ESV)

This verse connects forgiveness directly to Jesus’s death. The cross wasn’t just a symbol—it was the payment. And notice: forgiveness comes “according to the riches of his grace.” Not according to the smallness of our sins. God’s grace is extravagant.

Hebrews 8:12 – “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (ESV)

This is one of those verses that almost seems too good to be true. God doesn’t just forgive—He forgets. Now, obviously God knows everything, so this isn’t literal amnesia. But it means He chooses not to hold our sins against us anymore. They’re gone. Finished. Past.

Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (ESV)

Isaiah gives us this beautiful picture of complete transformation. Scarlet sins—blood-red, obvious, shameful—become white as snow. That’s not just forgiveness; that’s restoration. That’s purity recovered.

Isaiah 43:25 – “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (ESV)

Here’s what gets me about this verse: God forgives “for my own sake.” Not just for ours. God’s very character—His love, His mercy, His grace—compels Him to forgive. It’s not just what He does; it’s who He is.

Isaiah 55:7 – “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (ESV)

“Abundantly pardon.” Not reluctantly. Not barely. Abundantly. God doesn’t forgive like He’s running out of mercy. He pardons generously, lavishly, more than we can imagine.

Psalm 32:1 – “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (ESV)

David starts this psalm with pure relief. When you’ve been carrying the weight of sin, when you’ve felt the crushing burden of guilt, and then you experience forgiveness—it’s like breathing again. It’s blessing. It’s life.

Psalm 103:10-12 – “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (ESV)

This is one of my favorite passages in the entire Bible. God doesn’t give us what we deserve. Instead, His love is higher than the heavens, and our sins are removed as far as east is from west. (That’s infinite distance, by the way—east and west never meet.)

Psalm 86:5 – “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” (ESV)

Psalm 130:3-4 – “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (ESV)

This is so honest. If God kept score? None of us would survive. But because there’s forgiveness, we can approach Him with reverence rather than terror.

Micah 7:18-19 – “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (ESV)

God doesn’t just forgive—He tramples our sins underfoot and throws them into the ocean depths. That’s aggressive forgiveness. That’s determined mercy.

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

This verse is often quoted in times of national crisis, and for good reason. It connects forgiveness with humility, prayer, seeking God, and repentance. Corporate forgiveness requires corporate repentance.

Daniel 9:9 – “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him.” (ESV)

Joel 2:12-13 – “‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” (ESV)

Romans 3:23-24 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)

This is the gospel in two verses. All have sinned. All are justified freely by grace through Jesus. That’s the foundation of everything.

Colossians 1:13-14 – “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (ESV)

Colossians 2:13-14 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (ESV)

The imagery here is so powerful. Our debt—the record of everything we owe—was nailed to the cross with Jesus. It’s paid. It’s finished. We’re free.

1 John 2:12 – “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.” (ESV)

Part 2: Forgiving Others (25 Verses)

Jesus’s Radical Teaching on Forgiveness

Matthew 6:14-15 – “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (ESV)

Yeah. There it is. The verse none of us wants to deal with.

Jesus directly connects God’s forgiveness of us with our forgiveness of others. This isn’t a suggestion. This isn’t “forgive if it’s convenient.” This is a condition. And it terrifies me, honestly, because I know how hard forgiveness can be.

Matthew 6:12 – “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (ESV)

This is from the Lord’s Prayer. Every time we pray it, we’re asking God to forgive us in the same way we forgive others. Think about that for a second. If God forgave us the way we forgive others—grudgingly, conditionally, with strings attached—where would we be?

Matthew 18:21-22 – “Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'” (ESV)

Peter thought he was being generous with seven times. Jesus’s response—seventy-seven times (or “seventy times seven” in some translations)—essentially means “stop counting.” Forgiveness isn’t a limited resource we ration out. It’s a way of life.

Mark 11:25 – “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (ESV)

Jesus connects prayer and forgiveness. You can’t have genuine communion with God while harboring unforgiveness toward others. It blocks everything.

Luke 6:37 – “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (ESV)

Luke 17:3-4 – “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (ESV)

Notice: even if the same person wrongs you seven times in one day and says “I’m sorry” each time, you still forgive. Jesus isn’t naive—He knows people mess up repeatedly. But forgiveness doesn’t depend on their track record.

Luke 23:34 – “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.” (ESV)

Jesus said this while being crucified. While they were driving nails through His hands. While they were mocking Him. If Jesus could forgive His executioners in real-time, we have no excuse.

Paul’s Instructions to the Church

Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (ESV)

This is the pattern: as God forgave you. Not as others deserve. Not when they’ve earned it. The way God forgave you—immediately, completely, generously—that’s how we forgive others.

Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (ESV)

“Must forgive.” Not “should consider forgiving” or “maybe forgive if you feel like it.” Must. It’s a command.

Romans 12:17-21 – “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (ESV)

This passage has challenged me for years. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t take revenge. Leave justice to God. And not only that—actively do good to your enemies. It’s so counter to our natural instincts.

Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'” (ESV)

Revenge isn’t our job. Thank God. Because we’d mess it up. We don’t have all the information, we can’t see hearts, and we’re biased. But God? God’s justice is perfect. We can trust Him with it.

2 Corinthians 2:7-8 – “So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.” (ESV)

Galatians 6:1 – “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (ESV)

1 Peter 3:8-9 – “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” (ESV)

Wisdom from Proverbs

Proverbs 10:12 – “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (ESV)

Love doesn’t broadcast every wrong. It doesn’t keep a running list of grievances. Love covers offenses—not by pretending they didn’t happen, but by choosing not to hold them against the person.

Proverbs 17:9 – “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (ESV)

You know what destroys relationships faster than anything? Bringing up old offenses over and over. “Remember when you…?” If it’s forgiven, it’s covered. It’s done.

Proverbs 19:11 – “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (ESV)

Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.” (ESV)

Proverbs 24:17 – “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.” (ESV)

Proverbs 25:21-22 – “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” (ESV)

Additional New Testament Guidance

James 2:13 – “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (ESV)

1 Corinthians 13:5 – “[Love] does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.” (ESV)

That word “resentful” literally means “keeps no record of wrongs.” Love doesn’t maintain a file of every offense.

Hebrews 12:14-15 – “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” (ESV)

Unforgiveness becomes a “root of bitterness” that spreads. It doesn’t stay contained. It poisons everything—our other relationships, our worship, our joy.

James 5:9 – “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” (ESV)

1 John 4:20-21 – “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (ESV)

Part 3: Seeking Forgiveness and Confession (15 Verses)

Confession to God

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.” (ESV)

We covered this earlier, but it bears repeating. Confession isn’t optional. It’s the pathway to forgiveness and cleansing.

Proverbs 28:13 – “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (ESV)

Hidden sin doesn’t stay hidden—it festers. It grows. It destroys. But when we bring it into the light, when we confess and turn away from it, we find mercy.

Psalm 32:3-5 – “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (ESV)

David describes what unconfessed sin feels like: bones wasting away, God’s hand heavy, strength drained. But the moment he confessed? Immediate forgiveness.

Psalm 51:1-4 – “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” (ESV)

This is David’s prayer after his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. He doesn’t minimize. He doesn’t excuse. He confesses completely and throws himself on God’s mercy.

Psalm 51:10-12 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” (ESV)

Psalm 38:18 – “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.” (ESV)

Simple. Direct. Honest.

Daniel 9:4-5 – “I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.'” (ESV)

Confession to Others

James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has powerful effect.” (ESV)

This is one of the most countercultural verses in the Bible. Confess your sins to one another. Not just to God (though that’s essential), but to each other. There’s healing in vulnerability, in bringing sin into the light with trusted believers who can pray for us.

Matthew 5:23-24 – “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.” (ESV)

This is radical. Jesus says if you’re at church, about to worship, and you remember you’ve wronged someone—stop. Leave. Go make it right first. Worship doesn’t please God when we’re holding onto broken relationships we could repair.

Luke 17:3-4 – “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (ESV)

This cuts both ways. If someone wrongs you, address it (gently). If you wrong someone, repent. And when repentance happens, forgiveness must follow.

Leviticus 5:5 – “When he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed.” (ESV)

Numbers 5:6-7 – “When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person realizes his guilt, he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong.” (ESV)

In the Old Testament law, confession was connected with restitution. When possible, we make things right practically, not just verbally.

Ezra 10:11 – “Now then make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his will.” (ESV)

Nehemiah 1:6-7 – “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.” (ESV)

Acts 19:18 – “Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.” (ESV)

The early church practiced open confession. New believers didn’t hide their past—they brought it into the light.

Practical Guide: How to Practice Biblical Forgiveness

Okay, we’ve covered a lot of Scripture. But how do we actually do this? How do we move from knowing what the Bible says to living it out?

When You Need to Forgive Someone

1. Remember how much you’ve been forgiven.

This is the starting point. When I’m struggling to forgive someone, I force myself to sit quietly and think about my own sin—the things I’ve done, the ways I’ve failed, the times I’ve hurt God and others. And then I remember: all of that is forgiven. Every bit of it. Completely.

If God can forgive me for all that, how can I withhold forgiveness from someone else?

2. Acknowledge the hurt honestly.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending you weren’t hurt. It doesn’t mean saying “it’s fine” when it’s not fine. Be honest with God about the pain. David sure was. Read the Psalms—he didn’t hold back.

3. Choose to release the debt.

This is the hard part. Forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling. It’s choosing to say, “You hurt me, but I’m not going to hold it against you anymore. I’m releasing you from the debt you owe me.”

You might have to make this choice repeatedly. Feelings don’t always catch up immediately.

4. Let God handle justice.

Remember Romans 12:19: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” You don’t have to make sure the other person “gets what they deserve.” That’s God’s job, and He’s way better at it than you are.

5. Pray for the person who hurt you.

Jesus said to pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). It’s really hard to stay bitter toward someone you’re genuinely praying for. Try it.

When You Need to Seek Forgiveness

1. Acknowledge what you did wrong specifically.

Don’t give one of those non-apology apologies: “I’m sorry if you were offended.” No. “I was wrong when I [specific action]. I hurt you. I’m sorry.”

2. Don’t make excuses.

This is so tempting. “I only did that because you…” Stop. Own your part. Even if they were wrong too, focus on your responsibility first.

3. Ask for forgiveness directly.

“Will you forgive me?” Not “Let’s just move on” or “Can we forget about it?” Actually ask.

4. Make restitution when possible.

If you broke something, fix or replace it. If you spread gossip, go back and correct it. If you owe money, pay it back. Actions back up words.

5. Change your behavior.

Repentance isn’t just saying sorry—it’s turning around. If you keep doing the same thing, your apology was just words.

When Forgiveness Feels Impossible

Look, I’m not going to pretend this is easy. Some hurts are so deep, so devastating, that forgiveness feels impossible. Abuse. Betrayal. Abandonment.

Here’s what I’ve learned: forgiveness is possible, but it’s not always immediate, and it doesn’t always mean reconciliation.

You can forgive someone and still have boundaries. You can release the debt without putting yourself back in harm’s way. Forgiveness is between you and God; reconciliation requires two people and might not be safe or wise.

If you’re dealing with trauma or deep wounds, please get help. Talk to a pastor, see a Christian counselor, find a support group. You don’t have to walk this alone.

A Table: Types of Forgiveness in the Bible

Type of Forgiveness	Who’s Involved	Key Verses	What It Looks Like
God’s Forgiveness of Us	God → Us	1 John 1:9, Ephesians 1:7, Isaiah 43:25	Confession of sin; receiving pardon through Christ’s sacrifice; cleansing from unrighteousness
Our Forgiveness of Others	Us → Others	Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13	Releasing others from debts they owe us; choosing mercy over revenge; unlimited forgiveness
Seeking Forgiveness from Others	Us → Those We’ve Hurt	Matthew 5:23-24, James 5:16	Confessing specific wrongs; asking for forgiveness; making restitution when possible
Communal/Corporate Forgiveness	Community → God or Community → Community	2 Chronicles 7:14, Nehemiah 1:6-7	Collective repentance; acknowledging corporate sin; seeking healing for groups/nations

Frequently Asked Questions About Biblical Forgiveness

Does forgiveness mean I have to trust the person again?

No. Forgiveness and trust are different things. Forgiveness is a decision you make—it releases the person from the debt they owe you. Trust is earned over time through changed behavior.

You can forgive someone completely while still having healthy boundaries. If someone has repeatedly hurt you, lying or betraying you, forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to make yourself vulnerable to them again immediately.

Think of it this way: God forgives us the moment we confess. But building trust with God (learning to rely on Him, to believe His promises) happens over time as we walk with Him and see His faithfulness.

What if the person never apologizes or admits they were wrong?

This is tough. But here’s the thing: biblical forgiveness doesn’t depend on the other person’s response.

Jesus forgave His crucifiers while they were still crucifying Him (Luke 23:34). Stephen forgave those stoning him to death (Acts 7:60). They didn’t wait for apologies. They chose forgiveness regardless.

Your forgiveness is for your freedom, not the other person’s comfort. You can release them and give the situation to God even if they never acknowledge what they did.

Does “seventy times seven” really mean unlimited forgiveness?

Yes. Jesus wasn’t giving Peter a new number to count to (490 times). He was essentially saying, “Stop counting. Stop keeping score. Just keep forgiving.”

That doesn’t mean you stay in an abusive relationship or let someone hurt you repeatedly with no consequences. But it does mean you don’t nurse grudges. You don’t catalog offenses. You don’t bring up past wrongs that have been forgiven.

What about “forgive and forget”? Does God really forget our sins?

This is a common misunderstanding. When the Bible says God “remembers our sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12), it doesn’t mean He develops divine amnesia. God is omniscient—He knows everything.

What it means is that God chooses not to hold our sins against us. He doesn’t bring them up. He doesn’t use them as ammunition. They’re no longer on our record. That’s what “forgetting” means in this context.

And that’s what we’re called to do with others. Not literal forgetting (which is often impossible anyway), but choosing not to hold it against them, not bringing it up, treating them as if the offense never happened.

Is there an unforgivable sin?

Jesus talks about “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” as unforgivable (Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10). Scholars debate exactly what this means, but most agree it’s a persistent, final rejection of God’s grace—essentially, refusing forgiveness by refusing to repent.

Here’s the thing: if you’re worried you’ve committed the unforgivable sin, you haven’t. The very fact that you’re concerned about your relationship with God shows the Holy Spirit is still working in your heart. The unforgivable sin is characterized by hardness, not by worry or remorse.

How do I forgive myself?

Here’s what I’ve learned: “forgiving yourself” is really about accepting God’s forgiveness.

If God has forgiven you (and He has, if you’ve confessed your sin), then refusing to “forgive yourself” is actually a form of pride. It’s saying, “My standards are higher than God’s” or “God’s forgiveness isn’t enough—I need to earn it somehow.”

You don’t need to forgive yourself. You need to believe and accept that God has already forgiven you. That’s enough.

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Here’s what I wish someone had told me years ago about forgiveness: it’s not primarily about the other person. It’s about you.

When you hold onto unforgiveness, you’re the one who suffers. You’re the one chained to the past, replaying the hurt, nursing the wound. The other person might not even be thinking about you. But you’re consumed by what they did.

Forgiveness is how you break free.

It’s not easy. Some days it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do. You might have to choose it again and again—seventy times seven times, just like Jesus said.

But here’s the beautiful part: you don’t do it alone. The same God who forgave you—completely, extravagantly, at infinite cost—gives you the power to forgive others. The Holy Spirit helps you. The grace that saved you enables you to extend grace to others.

And when you do? When you finally let go of that grudge, release that person from the debt they owe you, stop replaying the hurt in your mind? You’ll understand why the Bible talks so much about forgiveness.

Because forgiveness isn’t just about cleaning up past messes. It’s about living free. It’s about experiencing the fullness of God’s grace. It’s about becoming more like Jesus, who looked at the people crucifying Him and said, “Father, forgive them.”

You’ve been forgiven an impossible debt. Now go and forgive others the same way.