What does the Bible say about forgiveness?
Short answer
The Bible treats forgiveness as central and costly: releasing a debt someone genuinely owes you. Jesus ties it to the forgiveness we receive (Matthew 6:12-15) and gives no cap on it (Matthew 18:21-22). Scripture does not, however, equate forgiveness with trusting an unrepentant person again, and does not require staying in danger.
This page is an overview of what the Bible says. It is not counseling, medical, or crisis support. If you are struggling, please talk with a doctor or a qualified professional as well as with people in your faith community.
Key passages
“Then Peter came and said to him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.'”
The number is deliberately absurd — it refuses to make forgiveness a bookkeeping exercise.
“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.”
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.”
Joseph names the harm accurately before forgiving it. Forgiveness in Scripture is not a denial that something happened.
Quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
What forgiveness means in the biblical vocabulary
The main New Testament word, aphiemi, means to release or let go — the language of cancelling a debt. That framing matters: a debt is only cancelled if it was real. Biblical forgiveness assumes a genuine wrong, not a misunderstanding to be explained away.
Forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing
- Forgiveness is something you can do without the other person's participation — it releases your claim on them.
- Reconciliation is a restored relationship, and it takes two people, honesty, and usually changed behaviour.
- Romans 12:18 says 'if it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men' — the qualifiers are in the text.
- Scripture never asks anyone to return to a situation of ongoing abuse or danger in the name of forgiveness. Safety comes first; speak to a trusted professional if that is your situation.
Practical steps people find useful
- Name the wrong specifically, in writing, before trying to release it.
- Distinguish what you are releasing (your right to repayment or revenge) from what you are not (your right to safety, boundaries, or the truth).
- Pray the Lord's Prayer slowly, pausing at 'as we also forgive our debtors'.
- Expect forgiveness to be repeated rather than instant — 'seventy times seven' often turns out to be about the same wound.
Christian traditions read this differently
- Some traditions emphasise forgiveness as an act of the will, offered regardless of the other person's response. Others emphasise the pattern in Luke 17:3, where rebuke and repentance precede forgiveness.
- Catholic and Orthodox practice ties forgiveness closely to sacramental confession; most Protestant traditions emphasise direct prayer and personal reconciliation.
- Christians disagree about whether forgiveness requires restoring the relationship. The widely shared pastoral view today is that it does not.
Questions for reflection or group discussion
- What exactly is the debt I am holding — what do I feel I am owed?
- Am I confusing forgiveness with pretending it did not matter?
- What boundary would let me forgive without putting myself back in harm's way?
- Where have I needed the same release I am withholding?
Common questions
How many times does the Bible say to forgive?
In Matthew 18:21-22 Peter suggests seven times and Jesus answers 'seventy times seven'. The point of the hyperbole is that forgiveness is not to be counted at all.
Does forgiving someone mean trusting them again?
No. Forgiveness releases a debt; trust is rebuilt over time through changed behaviour. Scripture never requires anyone to remain in an unsafe situation in order to forgive.
Do I have to forgive someone who is not sorry?
Christians read this differently. Colossians 3:13 and Jesus' words from the cross suggest forgiveness can be offered unilaterally, while Luke 17:3 links forgiveness to repentance. Many pastors distinguish between releasing bitterness (which you can do alone) and reconciling (which you cannot).
Talk this passage through with other people — join a free Bible study or prayer group on Faith Common.
Find a groupLast reviewed and updated: 2026-08-11