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Random Bible Verse About Forgiveness

Draw a random Bible verse about forgiveness, with a short note on where it comes from and what it means.

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And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

Genesis 33:4 KJV

Forgiveness in both Testaments

The Bible treats forgiveness as something God offers and something he asks people to extend. The Old Testament shows it in stories like Joseph and his brothers, in the temple prayers of Solomon, and in psalms of confession. The prophets add promises that God will cleanse and restore a people who had broken faith with him.

What Jesus and the apostles add

Jesus links receiving forgiveness with giving it, most clearly in the Lord's Prayer and the parable of the unforgiving servant. He also forgives from the cross. The apostles ground forgiveness in his death and urge believers to put away bitterness and treat each other as God has treated them. Forgiving someone does not always mean pretending nothing happened, and many passages pair it with honest confrontation or repentance.

Ways to use these verses

Use a verse as a prompt to name someone you are holding a grudge against.
Read the surrounding passage to see whether the verse is about receiving or giving forgiveness.
Return to the verse when you need to ask forgiveness yourself.

Try the Bible verse randomizer for other topics, a random encouraging Bible verse, or the Bible verse of the day.

Verses in This Collection

Genesis 33:4 – And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
Esau runs to meet Jacob, embraces him and weeps, ending years of fear that revenge was coming.
Genesis 45:5 – Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Joseph tells his brothers not to be distressed, because God had sent him ahead to preserve life.
Genesis 50:17 – So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
After their father dies, Joseph's brothers ask forgiveness for their earlier wrong, and Joseph weeps.
Genesis 50:20 – But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Joseph tells his brothers that although they intended harm, God used the events for the good of many.
Exodus 34:6 – And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD , The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
God proclaims his own name to Moses as merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Exodus 34:7 – Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation .
The same declaration says God forgives iniquity and transgression, yet does not simply ignore guilt.
Leviticus 19:18 – Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD .
The law forbids taking vengeance or holding a grudge against fellow Israelites, and commands love for neighbor.
Numbers 14:19 – Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
Moses asks God to pardon the people's sin according to his great steadfast love.
1 Samuel 24:10 – Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.
David has Saul at his mercy in a cave but spares his life, refusing to harm the anointed king.
1 Samuel 25:28 – I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD , and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.
Abigail asks David to forgive her household's offense and so avoid a bloodguilt he would later regret.
2 Samuel 12:13 – And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD . And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
When Nathan confronts David over his sin, David admits his guilt and is told the Lord has put away his sin.
1 Kings 8:30 – And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
In dedicating the temple, Solomon asks God to hear the prayers of his people and forgive.
1 Kings 8:50 – And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
Solomon prays that God will forgive his people who have sinned, and cause their captors to show them compassion.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.
God promises that if his people humble themselves, pray and turn from wickedness, he will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Nehemiah 9:17 – And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
The Levites' prayer recalls that God is a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, and did not abandon his people.
Psalm 25:7 – Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD .
David asks God not to remember the sins of his youth, but to remember him according to steadfast love.
Psalm 32:1 – Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the person whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered.
Psalm 32:5 – I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD ; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
David describes the relief of confessing his sin to God and receiving forgiveness.
Psalm 51:1 – Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
David's prayer of repentance, traditionally linked to the Bathsheba episode, appeals to God's steadfast love.
Psalm 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
David asks God to create a clean heart in him and renew a right spirit.
Psalm 86:5 – For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
The psalmist calls God good and ready to forgive, abounding in steadfast love to all who call.
Psalm 103:3 – Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
The writer lists God's benefits, beginning with forgiving all iniquity and healing diseases.
Psalm 103:8 – The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
The Lord is described as merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103:12 – 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, God removes our transgressions from us.
Psalm 130:3 – If thou, LORD , shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
The psalmist asks who could stand if God kept a record of iniquities.
Psalm 130:4 – But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
With God there is forgiveness, so that he may be revered.
Proverbs 10:12 – Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Proverbs 17:9 – He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but repeating a matter separates close friends.
Proverbs 19:11 – The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Good sense makes a person slow to anger, and it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 24:17 – Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
The writer says not to gloat when an enemy falls or let the heart rejoice when he stumbles.
Proverbs 25:21 – If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
If an enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if thirsty, give him water.
Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
God invites his people to reason together, promising that sins like scarlet will become white as snow.
Isaiah 38:17 – Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
Hezekiah, recovered from illness, says God has cast all his sins behind his back.
Isaiah 43:25 – I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
God says he blots out transgressions for his own sake and will not remember sins.
Isaiah 44:22 – I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
God says he has swept away transgressions like a cloud and calls his people to return to him.
Isaiah 55:7 – Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD , and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Let the wicked forsake his way, because God will have compassion and abundantly pardon.
Jeremiah 31:34 – And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD : for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD : for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
In the new covenant promise, God says he will forgive iniquity and remember sin no more.
Jeremiah 33:8 – And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
God promises to cleanse his people from all the guilt of their sin and forgive their rebellion.
Ezekiel 18:23 – Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD : and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
God says he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn and live.
Daniel 9:9 – To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
Daniel confesses that mercy and forgiveness belong to the Lord, though the people had rebelled.
Jonah 4:2 – And he prayed unto the LORD , and said, I pray thee, O LORD , was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
Jonah complains that he knew God was gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and relenting from disaster.
Micah 7:18 – 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, the prophet asks, pardoning iniquity and delighting in steadfast love.
Micah 7:19 – He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
God will again have compassion and tread sins underfoot, casting them into the depths of the sea.
Matthew 5:23-24 – Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Jesus tells hearers to leave a gift at the altar and first be reconciled with a brother who has a grievance.
Matthew 5:44 – 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;
Jesus tells his listeners to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.
Matthew 6:12 – And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
In the Lord's Prayer, believers ask God to forgive their debts as they forgive their debtors.
Matthew 6:14 – For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Jesus adds that if people forgive others their trespasses, the heavenly Father will also forgive them.
Matthew 18:35 – So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Ending the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus warns that the Father will treat people likewise if they do not forgive from the heart.
Matthew 9:6 – But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
Jesus heals a paralyzed man to show that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.
Matthew 18:21 – Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Peter asks how often he must forgive a brother and suggests seven times.
Matthew 18:22 – Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Jesus replies seventy-seven times, meaning that forgiveness is not to be counted or capped.
Matthew 18:33 – Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the king asks whether the servant should not have shown mercy as he had received mercy.
Mark 11:25 – 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.
Jesus teaches that when someone stands praying, he should forgive anything he holds against another.
Luke 6:27 – But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Jesus teaches love for enemies and doing good to those who hate.
Luke 6:37 – Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Jesus says not to judge or condemn, and to forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 7:47 – Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
A woman who anointed Jesus is said to love much because she has been forgiven much.
Luke 15:20 – And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
The father in the parable of the prodigal son sees his son far off, runs to him, and embraces him.
Luke 17:3 – Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Jesus says that if a brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 – 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.
Even if a brother sins seven times in a day and repents each time, Jesus says to forgive him.
Luke 23:34 – Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
From the cross, Jesus asks the Father to forgive those who crucified him, since they do not know what they do.
John 8:11 – She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus tells the woman brought before him that he does not condemn her and tells her to sin no more.
John 20:23 – Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
The risen Jesus tells his disciples that they have authority to forgive sins.
Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Peter urges the crowd to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
Acts 7:60 – 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.
As he is being stoned, Stephen cries out asking the Lord not to hold this sin against his attackers.
Acts 13:38 – Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
Paul preaches in Antioch that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to the listeners.
Romans 3:24-25 – Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Paul says sinners are justified freely through Christ's redemption, which declares God's righteousness and covers sins past.
Romans 4:7 – Saying , Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Paul quotes David's psalm, saying blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven.
Romans 12:17 – Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Paul tells believers not to repay anyone evil for evil, but to aim at what is honorable.
Romans 12:19 – Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Paul tells his readers not to avenge themselves but to leave room for God's wrath.
Romans 12:21 – Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Paul ends the passage by saying not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good.
2 Corinthians 2:7 – So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him , and comfort him , lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
Paul urges the Corinthians to forgive and comfort a repentant offender so that he is not overwhelmed by sorrow.
2 Corinthians 5:19 – To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Paul says that in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people's trespasses against them.
Ephesians 1:7 – In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Paul says that in Christ believers have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of their trespasses.
Ephesians 4:31 – Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Paul tells believers to put away bitterness, wrath, anger and slander.
Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Paul tells believers to be kind and tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave them.
Colossians 2:13 – And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Paul says that God made believers alive with Christ, having forgiven all their trespasses.
Colossians 3:13 – Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Paul tells the church to bear with one another and forgive each other, as the Lord forgave.
Hebrews 8:12 – For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
The writer quotes Jeremiah's promise that God will be merciful toward iniquities and remember sins no more.
Hebrews 12:15 – 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;
The writer warns readers to watch that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble.
James 5:16 – Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James says to confess sins to one another and pray, so that you may be healed.
1 Peter 3:9 – Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Peter tells believers not to repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but to bless.
1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Above all, Peter says to love one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us.
1 John 2:1 – My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
John writes so that his readers may not sin, but says that if anyone does, there is an advocate with the Father.
1 John 2:12 – I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
John tells his little children that their sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus's name.

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