Forgiveness can be hard.
You may think you have moved forward, and then a memory or conversation brings the hurt back.
The Bible has a lot to say about forgiveness. These forgiveness Bible verses can help you think about what God asks of you and how His forgiveness can shape the way you respond to other people.
Ephesians 4:32
The Apostle Paul wrote:
“Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:32).
That last part matters: God forgave you in Christ.
Christian forgiveness begins with remembering the mercy you have already received from God.
Matthew 6:14–15
Jesus also spoke very directly about forgiveness.
In Matthew 6:14–15, He teaches that forgiving other people is connected with receiving forgiveness from God.
Those are strong words.
They remind us that forgiveness is not a minor part of Christian faith. Jesus expects His followers to take it seriously.
You may still have questions about what forgiveness looks like in your particular situation. You may need time, prayer, and wisdom.
But you can begin by asking God to help you become willing to forgive.
Luke 6:37
Jesus said:
“Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).
This verse appears alongside Jesus’ teaching about judging and condemning other people.
That does not mean you pretend wrongdoing never happened. You can recognize something as wrong and still decide that you do not want resentment or revenge to control you.
That can take time.
What does biblical forgiveness look like?
Biblical forgiveness does not require you to say that the hurt did not matter.
You can forgive and still tell the truth.
You can forgive and still have boundaries.
You can forgive someone even when trust has been damaged.
And reconciliation is different from forgiveness. Rebuilding a relationship usually requires honesty, changed behavior, and willingness from both people.
If abuse, threats, or danger are involved, protect yourself and get help. Forgiveness does not require you to remain in an unsafe situation.
Bring the hurt to God
You don’t need polished words when you pray about someone who hurt you.
Tell God what happened. Tell Him how you feel about it.
You might say:
“God, I am still angry about this. Help me know how to forgive.”
Or:
“God, I want to let this go, but I’m having a hard time. Help me.”
A simple prayer can be a good place to begin.
And you may need to pray about the same person or situation many times.
What if you still feel angry?
You may decide to forgive and still feel pain.
If the anger comes back, bring it to God again.
Ask yourself what you are holding onto. Do you want an apology? Do you want the other person to understand how much they hurt you? Do you want them to experience some of the pain you experienced?
Be honest about it.
Remember that carrying anger continues to affect you and can affect the people around you. Surrender it. Release it to God.
What about forgiving yourself?
Sometimes the person you are struggling to forgive is yourself.
Maybe you regret something you said or did.
Start by bringing it to God. Confess what was wrong. If you hurt someone, take responsibility and apologize when appropriate.
Then receive God’s forgiveness.
You may still have consequences to deal with or changes you need to make. But continually punishing yourself is not the same thing as repentance.
God’s grace gives you a way to move forward.
Keep returning to forgiveness
Forgiveness may happen quickly in some situations. In others, it may take much longer.
You can return to these Bible verses when anger or hurt comes back.
Read Ephesians 4:32.
Read Matthew 6:14–15.
Read Luke 6:37.
Then talk with God about the person or situation that is still bothering you.
Here is a short prayer:
Dear God, You know what happened and how I feel about it. Help me forgive as You have forgiven me. Give me wisdom about boundaries and what I should do next. Keep bitterness from growing in my heart. Amen.
Decide to surrender your pain to God.