Matthew 6:15 teaches that a person’s willingness to forgive others is connected to how they receive forgiveness from God. Jesus says that refusing to forgive other people puts a person in a position where they do not experience God’s forgiveness in the same way. The words come from the Sermon on the Mount, spoken by Jesus to a crowd of his disciples and other listeners gathered on a hillside in Galilee.
But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:15 (WEB)
What Matthew 6:15 Means
The verse opens with “But if you don’t forgive,” which makes it a warning that follows directly from the verse before it. Jesus has just said that God forgives those who forgive others, so verse 15 describes the opposite case. The phrase “men their trespasses” refers to wrongs people have done against us, the offenses and debts that create resentment.
The final phrase, “neither will your Father forgive your trespasses,” is the heart of the statement. Jesus is not describing a bargain in which God trades forgiveness for good behavior. He is showing that a heart which clings to grudges is a heart that has not truly grasped how much it has been forgiven. The verse does not promise that a person can earn forgiveness through effort, and it does not say that one act of forgiveness settles every feeling of hurt.
The Context of Matthew 6:15
Matthew’s Gospel was written for a community that knew the Jewish law and prayer life well, and this passage belongs to the section where Jesus teaches his followers how to pray, give and fast. Just before verse 15, Jesus gives the Lord’s Prayer, which includes the line about forgiving our debtors. Verse 15 is the explanation of that line, which is why it was placed right after the prayer itself.
Read in this setting, the verse is less about a rule and more about the shape of a forgiven life. Verses 16 through 18 move on to fasting, which Jesus also wants done without showing off. Taken together, the passage paints a picture of a person whose inner life is oriented toward God rather than toward the approval of others, and forgiveness is one of the clearest tests of that inner life.
Key Phrases in Matthew 6:15
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.
(WEB)
Paul echoes Jesus’ teaching by telling believers to bear with one another and forgive as the Lord forgave them. This verse ties forgiveness to the pattern of Christ’s own mercy, showing that forgiving others is a response to the grace we have already received.
Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
(WEB)
This verse urges kindness and tenderheartedness toward others, grounding forgiveness in God’s forgiveness through Christ. It helps readers see that forgiving someone is part of living out the gospel in ordinary relationships rather than a separate spiritual task.
A Short Prayer From Matthew 6:15
Father, you have forgiven me far more than I could ever repay, and I thank you for that mercy. I confess the grudges I have carried and the moments when I have wanted someone to pay for what they did. Soften my heart where it has grown hard, and give me the courage to release the debts others owe me. Let my forgiveness reflect the forgiveness I have received from you. Amen.
