25 Bible Verses About Forgiving Others (NIV & KJV)

Few commands in Scripture are as searching as the call to forgive the people who have wronged us. It is one thing to receive God's pardon; it is another to extend that same grace to a friend who betrayed us, a family member who wounded us, or a stranger who hurt us deeply. Yet the Bible makes plain that forgiving others is not optional for those who follow Christ.

These Bible verses about forgiving others gather the commands, examples, and promises that help us release offense. They remind us that we forgive not because the wrong was small, but because God's mercy toward us was so great. In letting others go, we ourselves are set free.

Each passage below comes in both the NIV and KJV. Read them slowly, and ask the Lord to give you the strength to forgive as you have been forgiven.

🤲 The Command to Forgive Others

God calls us to release others as an act of obedience and love.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)

“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)“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 (KJV)

“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)“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 (KJV)

“So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.”— Luke 17:3 (NIV)“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”— Luke 17:3 (KJV)

🔢 Forgiving Without Limit

Jesus teaches that mercy keeps no record and sets no ceiling.

“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 (NIV)“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 (KJV)

“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 17:4 (NIV)“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 17:4 (KJV)

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”— 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”— 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)

⚖️ Our Forgiveness and God's Forgiveness

Jesus links the mercy we give with the mercy we receive.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”— Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)“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 (KJV)

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

““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)“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”— Luke 6:37 (KJV)

“because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”— James 2:13 (NIV)“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”— James 2:13 (KJV)

🌿 Releasing Bitterness and Resentment

Forgiveness frees the heart from the poison of grudges.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”— Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”— Ephesians 4:31 (KJV)

““In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,”— Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”— Ephesians 4:26 (KJV)

“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)“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”— Hebrews 12:15 (KJV)

“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”— Proverbs 10:12 (NIV)“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.”— Proverbs 10:12 (KJV)

🕊️ Leaving Vengeance to God

When we forgive, we trust the Lord to bring justice in His own time.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.”— Romans 12:17 (NIV)“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”— Romans 12:17 (KJV)

“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)“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”— Romans 12:19 (KJV)

“Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.”— Proverbs 20:22 (NIV)“Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.”— Proverbs 20:22 (KJV)

“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NIV)“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (KJV)

✝️ Examples of Forgiveness

Christ and His servants show us what forgiving others looks like.

“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)“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”— Luke 23:34 (KJV)

“Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”— Acts 7:60 (NIV)“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 (KJV)

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”— Matthew 5:44 (NIV)“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”— Matthew 5:44 (KJV)

“On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.””— Romans 12:20 (NIV)“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.”— Romans 12:20 (KJV)

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”— Romans 12:21 (NIV)“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”— Romans 12:21 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Forgiving Others?

The Bible teaches that forgiving others is both a command and a reflection of God's own heart. Believers are told to be kind and tenderhearted, "forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Jesus pressed this point further, instructing Peter to forgive "seventy times seven," which signals mercy that keeps no record and sets no limit. The measure of grace we have received becomes the measure we are called to give.

Scripture also warns that an unforgiving heart endangers our own pardon, for Jesus said that if we forgive not men their trespasses, neither will our Father forgive us. Yet the Bible never asks us to ignore wrong or pretend it did not happen. Instead, it tells us to lay down bitterness, refuse revenge, and leave vengeance to God, who alone judges justly. In doing so, we are released from the weight of resentment and walk in the freedom of grace.

Forgiving others is one of the clearest marks of a heart shaped by grace. Continue with Bible verses about forgiveness, Bible verses about mercy, and Bible verses about anger.