What Does the Bible Say About Need For Forgiveness?

1 John 1:9 ESV / 5 helpful votes

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Romans 3:23 ESV / 5 helpful votes

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 3:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Luke 6:37 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Colossians 3:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Luke 17:4 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Luke 17:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,

Mark 11:25 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Matthew 18:35 ESV / 3 helpful votes

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21-35 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ...

Matthew 18:1-35 ESV / 3 helpful votes

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, ...

Matthew 6:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Psalm 103:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

1 John 1:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:1-10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ...

Colossians 3:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Ephesians 4:29-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

2 Corinthians 2:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

1 Corinthians 5:1-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. ...

Romans 7:7-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. ...

Romans 6:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:15-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. ...

Romans 6:1-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ...

Romans 2:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Romans 1:18-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Acts 8:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Acts 3:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

John 8:1-59 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” ...

Luke 23:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 23:1-56 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.” ...

Mark 16:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Matthew 18:23-35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. ...

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jeremiah 31:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Psalm 103:1-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. ...

Psalm 51:1-19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. ...

Psalm 32:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Psalm 32:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes

A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Job 42:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

44 Bible Verses about Need For Forgiveness

1 John 1:9 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 4:32 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 3:23 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 6:37 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 17:4 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 17:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 11:25 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 18:35 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 18:21-35 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 18:1-35 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 103:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:1-10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 4:29-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 2:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 5:1-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 7:7-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 6:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 6:15-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 6:1-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 2:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 1:18-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 8:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 3:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 8:1-59 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 23:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 23:1-56 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 16:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 16:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 18:23-35 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 31:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 103:1-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 51:1-19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 32:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 32:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Job 42:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Suggest a Verse

Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17)