FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is God's command.

Martin Luther

Peter replied, "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."
Acts 2:38

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus.
Acts 3:19,20

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Acts 5:31

All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
Acts 10:43

Therefore my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
Acts 13:38

Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their fathers.
2 Chronicles 6:25

Then hear thou from heaven they dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men.)
2 Chronicles 6:30

Then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
2 Chronicles 6:39

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

…in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:14

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in God’s sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
Colossians 1:21,22

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.
Daniel 9:9

In Jesus we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 1:7,8

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Genesis 50:17

"I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more," says the Lord.
Hebrews 8:12

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; through they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18

"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Says the Lord.
Isaiah 43:25

Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:7

No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 31:34

God said, "I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me."
Jeremiah 33:8

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
John 20:23

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
1 John 2:1

He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for god is love.

1 John 4:8

Then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart for you alone know the hearts of all men.
1 Kings 8:39

And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.
1 Kings 8:50,51

…to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.
Luke 1:7

He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 3:3

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:30–31

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

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Luke 6:38

And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:4

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

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
Luke 23:34

…and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:47

And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:4

Who can forgive sins but God alone?
Mark 2:7

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.
Mark 2: 10-12

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them."
Mark 3:28

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
Mark 11:25

You have heard it said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5: 43-45

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:12-13

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ""Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
Matthew 18:22-23

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:28

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
Micah 7:18

Bur you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
Nehemiah 9:18

In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.
Numbers 14:19

Hatred stirs up dissention, but love covers over all wrongs.

Proverbs 10:12

Do not say, "I’ll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Proverbs 20:22

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

For the sake of your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
Psalm 25:11

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Psalm 32:1-2

Help us, O God our Savior,
For the glory of your name;
Deliver us and forgive our sins
For your name’s sake.
Psalm 79:9

O Lord, you forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins.
Psalm 85:2

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Psalm 86:5

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.
Psalm 103:2,3

As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.
Romans 4:7,8

On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…."
Romans 12:20

JESUS AND FORGIVENESS
Jesus forgave in the following verses

The paralytic lowered on a mat through the roof

Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 9:2-8

The woman caught in adultery
The Teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said.
John 8:3-11

The woman who anointed his feet with oil
"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 7:47–50

Peter, for denying he knew Jesus
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

"You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter.
He replied, "I am not."

It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
John 18:15–18

As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?"
He denied it, saying, "I am not."

One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?" Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
John 18:25–27

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"

He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
John 21:15–19

The criminal on the cross
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:39-43

The people who crucified him
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Luke 23:34

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