And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
The Bible treats forgiveness in two directions at once, and its most demanding verses are the ones about extending it. Ephesians 4:32 gives both halves in one sentence — "forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" — making the second half's standard the first half's experience. 1 John 1:9 covers the receiving side with unusual precision: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Matthew 18:22 answers the natural follow-up question — how many times? — with "until seventy times seven." Fifteen of those verses follow in full KJV text, for both sides of the exchange.
Quick answer: 1 John 1:9 is the clearest verse on receiving forgiveness: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Ephesians 4:32 is the clearest on giving it: "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Psalm 103:12 provides the picture — sins removed "as far as the east is from the west" — and Micah 7:19 adds that they are cast "into the depths of the sea."
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
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.
Colossians 3:13
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:15
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
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.
Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
Micah 7:18
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:12
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
Isaiah 43:25
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:22
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.
Luke 6:37
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.
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.
Mark 11:25
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;
“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
Acts 3:19
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Psalms 32:1
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
Ephesians 1:7
These verses are read after failure (1 John 1:9), in family fractures (Colossians 3:13), in marriages (Ephesians 4:32 was written into that context's household code), and in the long work of releasing a debt someone else owes you. A word of honesty: the Bible's forgiveness verses do not require calling harm acceptable, and they do not erase consequences — Matthew 18's fuller passage pairs forgiveness with honest confrontation ("go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone"). What they consistently refuse is the alternative of storing the debt forever. Read the list slowly; the verses about being forgiven (Psalm 103:12, Micah 7:18-19) usually need to come first.
Copy a verse to keep close during a season of either guilt or grievance — 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 32:1 are the standard starting points for the first, Ephesians 4:32 and Matthew 18:22 for the second. Each card toggles between the King James Version and the World English Bible; "forgiving one another" reads identically in both, but the surrounding words modernize helpfully. If a particular verse is doing work for you, the random verse tool above can surface others from this theme one at a time. The love and peace pages are natural companions to this list.
15 KJV verses on love — 1 Corinthians 13, John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8 and more.
15 KJV verses on peace — John 14:27, Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 4:8 and more.
15 KJV verses on healing — Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 53:5, Jeremiah 17:14 and more.
A true random Bible verse from all 31,102 verses of the King James Version — one tap, no signup.
Pick a feeling or theme — anxiety, hope, strength — and get a Bible verse for it, from a curated list.
Today's verse in the King James Version — same verse all day, no repeats-for-clickbait, plus the archive.
Today's verse in the World English Bible — modern English, public domain, same daily schedule as the KJV page.