Bible verses about forgiveness

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Psalm 86:5

God is described as good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all who call on him.

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.

Psalm 103:10-12

God removes our transgressions as far as the east is from the west, a distance that never ends.

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.

Isaiah 1:18

Sins red as scarlet and crimson can be made white as snow and wool.

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.

Micah 7:18-19

God delights in mercy and casts all their sins into the depths of the sea.

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isaiah 43:25

God blots out transgressions for his own sake and chooses not to remember them.

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

Psalm 130:3-4

If God kept a record of every sin, no one could stand, but there is forgiveness with him.

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Nehemiah 9:17

Even after Israel's long rebellion, Nehemiah's prayer calls God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful.

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

Daniel 9:9

Daniel confesses that mercies and forgivenesses belong to God though his people rebelled.

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

Confession meets a God who is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Psalm 32:5

David stopped hiding his sin, confessed it, and says, thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psalm 32:1-2

The person whose sin is forgiven and covered is called blessed, or happy.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:1-2

David's prayer, which its heading links to his sin with Bathsheba, asks God to blot out, wash and cleanse.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Forgiveness is joined to a request for a clean heart and a right spirit.

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.

Isaiah 55:7

Whoever turns back to the LORD will find that he will abundantly pardon.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Peter calls the crowd to repent and be converted so that their sins may be blotted out.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Ephesians 1:7

Paul ties the forgiveness of sins to redemption through Christ's blood and the riches of his grace.

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 10:43

Peter tells Cornelius that whoever believes in Jesus receives remission, or forgiveness, of sins.

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Luke 5:20

Seeing the faith of the paralyzed man's friends, Jesus said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Luke 7:47-48

Jesus said the woman's many sins were forgiven, for she loved much.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 8:12

Quoting Jeremiah, Hebrews says God will remember their sins and iniquities no more.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

We forgive because we have been forgiven: even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:13

When there is a quarrel, the pattern is the same: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:12

Jesus put forgiving others right inside the prayer he taught his disciples.

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.

Matthew 6:14-15

Right after the Lord's Prayer, Jesus explains why forgiving others matters so much.

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.

Mark 11:25

Before you pray, forgive anyone you have something against.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:23-24

Jesus says to leave your gift at the altar and first go make peace with your brother.

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:19-21

Leave vengeance to God, and overcome evil with good.

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Proverbs 19:11

It is a person's glory to pass over a transgression rather than hold on to it.

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:21-22

Peter offered seven times; Jesus answered, Until seventy times seven.

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Luke 17:3-4

Even seven times in a day, if a brother repents, forgive him.

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Matthew 18:32-33

In the parable, the forgiven servant is rebuked for refusing to forgive a far smaller debt.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Luke 15:20

The prodigal's father saw his son a great way off and ran to him before a word of apology.

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Genesis 50:19-21

Joseph forgave the brothers who sold him: ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Luke 23:34

On the cross, Jesus prayed for those crucifying him: Father, forgive them.

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 7:60

Stephen, while being stoned, asked the Lord not to lay this sin to their charge.