If you are searching for Bible scriptures about forgiving others, this list gives you verses that speak directly to the hurt, the hesitation and the work of letting go of a wrong done to you. It is written for anyone who knows they should forgive but finds the words, or the willingness, hard to come by. Each passage points to the same truth: forgiveness is rooted in how God has first treated us, and it is something we can practice one decision at a time.
Verses for When the Hurt Is Still Fresh
Some wounds are recent, and the first impulse is to replay the offense rather than release it. These verses meet you in that raw place. They do not ask you to pretend the pain is small. They invite you to bring it to God and to remember that your forgiveness is part of a larger pattern of grace.
Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
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Paul ties our kindness and forgiveness to the forgiveness we have received in Christ. When someone’s words are still stinging, try pausing before you respond and ask yourself how God has dealt with your own failures. Then choose one small act of kindness toward that person today, even if it is only a civil greeting.
Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
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This verse links forgiveness to bearing with one another, which admits that people will continue to disappoint us. Notice that the command assumes a real grievance. Name the complaint plainly to God in prayer, then ask Him to help you let it go as you would want to be let go of.
Matthew 6:14-15
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
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Jesus connects our own forgiveness with our willingness to forgive. This is sobering, but it also shows how close the two are. Each time you release someone in your heart, you are practicing the same grace you depend on. Write the person’s name down and pray for them once this week.
Verses for Ongoing Conflict and Repeated Hurt
Forgiveness is not always a single moment. Sometimes the same person keeps causing the same pain, and you are asked to forgive again and again. The verses in this section speak to that long, tiring kind of forgiveness and to the patience God shows us.
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
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When Peter asks how many times he must forgive, Jesus answers with a number that sounds endless. The point is not a counting system but an open heart. If you have forgiven someone many times, do not feel you have failed because the feelings return. Keep bringing them back to God and let each renewed choice count.
Luke 17:3-4
3 Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
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Jesus speaks here of a brother who wrongs you and then repents. Forgiveness in this passage follows honest confrontation and genuine repentance. If you are in a relationship where repeated harm continues, consider whether a conversation or a boundary is needed, and let forgiveness remain your posture of heart even as you act wisely.
Proverbs 19:11
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.
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This proverb describes wisdom as a slowness to anger and a readiness to overlook an offense. Overlooking does not mean ignoring danger. It means choosing not to let every slight define your response. Before you reply to a provocation, take one slow breath and ask whether this is a matter worth carrying.
Verses for Forgiving Yourself and Those Who Are Far Away
Forgiveness also reaches toward ourselves when we have wronged others, and it sometimes applies to people we no longer see. These verses address both the quiet guilt that lingers after our own failures and the distance that makes reconciliation difficult.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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John assures believers that confession leads to forgiveness and cleansing. If guilt keeps returning, remember that God’s faithfulness is greater than your memory of the failure. Name the wrong specifically in prayer, receive the cleansing, and then take the next faithful step toward the person you hurt, if one is possible.
Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
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The psalmist uses the image of distance to describe how far God removes our transgressions. This can steady you when shame tries to drag you back. Each morning, thank God that your past sin has been put away, and resist the urge to take it back up again.
Mark 11:25
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
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Jesus links prayer with forgiving whoever has something against us. This verse is useful when a person is far away, out of reach, or unlikely to apologize. Before you pray for your own needs, speak the name of that person to God and ask Him to bless them, even while the hurt is still with you.
Verses for Learning to Forgive Like Christ
The final group points to Jesus Himself, who forgave while He was suffering. These passages give you a model to look toward when forgiveness feels impossible and remind you that Christ’s grace is the source of the strength you need.
Luke 23:34
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
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From the cross, Jesus prays for those who crucified Him. This verse shows forgiveness offered in the midst of real injustice. When you feel tempted to hold onto resentment, picture this scene and ask God for a portion of the same mercy, even if you only manage the first small step.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance…
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Paul asks believers to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness and patience. Forgiveness grows out of these qualities rather than being produced by willpower alone. Choose one of these virtues to focus on today and let it shape how you speak to the person who hurt you.
Romans 12:19
Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”
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This verse reminds you that justice belongs to God, not to your own retaliation. Releasing the need to repay a wrong is a form of trust. When you feel the urge to get even, pray that God would deal with the matter in His way and time, and then leave it with Him.
How to Use These Verses
Write two or three of these verses on a card and keep it where you will see it, such as on the bathroom mirror, the dashboard, or beside your Bible. Read them slowly once in the morning and again before bed, especially on days when the offense comes back to mind. Repetition helps the truth move from your head into your habits.
When you pray these verses, speak them back to God in your own words rather than only reading them aloud. You might say, “Lord, You have forgiven me, so help me forgive them.” Name the person, name the hurt, and ask for the specific grace you need that day. Forgiveness often grows more real when it is prayed about, not just thought about.
A Short Prayer for Forgiving Others
Lord, You have forgiven me more than I can repay, and I bring You the hurt I still carry toward someone who wronged me. I do not want to hold onto this anger, but I confess that part of me wants to. Help me see this person as You see them, and help me release the debt they owe me into Your hands. Where I am still hurt, heal me. Where I need to speak or set a boundary, give me wisdom and courage. Thank You for the grace that makes forgiveness possible. Amen.
