Forgiveness in the Bible: God's Grace and Our Call to Forgive

The LORD smelled the pleasant aroma. The LORD said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done.

Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?”

until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”

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

Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favour in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from amongst them, and bound him before their eyes.

Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.

Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”

Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to the LORD your God, that he may also take away from me this death.”

It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.”

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.

You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.”

On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”

Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”

keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

He said, “If now I have found favour in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go amongst us, even though this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without defect to the LORD for a sin offering.

He shall do this with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.

All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he will be forgiven.

All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

He shall remove all its fat, like the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of the LORD made by fire. The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he will be forgiven.

and he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.

He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.

The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’”

He shall make restitution for that which he has done wrong regarding the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he will be forgiven.

He shall bring a ram without defect from of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he sinned and didn’t know it, and he will be forgiven.

The priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”

He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it.

Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the LORD commanded.”

He presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first.

He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her; then she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. “‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female.

If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons: the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering. The priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’”

The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD.

“The priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness. Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering;

then the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meal offering on the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

“If he is poor, and can’t afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil;

The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.

The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the LORD.

of the kind he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before the LORD.”

The priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. The priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD for his discharge.

The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for the uncleanness of her discharge.

“Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.

But the goat on which the lot fell for the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement for him, to send him away as the scapegoat into the wilderness.

He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting that dwells with them in the middle of their uncleanness.

He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.

Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is ready.

The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.

The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.

The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp; and they shall burn their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire.

for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you. You shall be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be priest in his father’s place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments.

Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.

“This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” It was done as the LORD commanded Moses.

“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.

The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed; and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.

The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day.

The priest shall present them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering.

one male goat for a sin offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

“The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites.

I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from amongst the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, so that there will be no plague amongst the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary.”

Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, please don’t count this sin against us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned.

‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’

Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

The LORD said, “I have pardoned according to your word;

The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error.

All the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, as well as the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst them; for with regard to all the people, it was done unwittingly.

The priest shall make atonement for the soul who errs when he sins unwittingly before the LORD. He shall make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven.

and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.

and one male goat, to make atonement for you.

and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you;

one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and their drink offerings.

But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears, none of her vows or of her pledges with which she has bound her soul, shall stand. The LORD will forgive her, because her father has forbidden her.

But if her husband forbids her in the day that he hears it, then he makes void her vow which is on her and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul. The LORD will forgive her.

But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand. Her husband has made them void. The LORD will forgive her.

Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don’t look at the stubbornness of this people, nor at their wickedness, nor at their sin,

This is the way it shall be done: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbour. He shall not require payment from his neighbour and his brother, because the LORD’s release has been proclaimed.

Forgive, LORD, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and don’t allow innocent blood amongst your people Israel.” The blood shall be forgiven them.

The LORD will not pardon him, but then the LORD’s anger and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book will fall on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under the sky.

Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins.

It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’”

Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel.”

Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.”

May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.

As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.

For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today.

Please don’t let my lord pay attention to this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the LORD’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your days.

that this shall be no grief to you, nor offence of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

So David received from her hand that which she had brought him. Then he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice and have granted your request.”

Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.

The king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.”

So Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’”

He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”

The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.

David’s heart struck him after he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, the LORD, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.”

So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray towards this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers.

then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for an inheritance.

then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men);

and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

So they put sackcloth on their bodies and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” He said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

Ben Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” “I”, said Ahab, “will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

In this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.”

He answered, “You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, then go to their master.”

and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon.

But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray towards this place. Yes, hear from your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when you hear, forgive.

then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers.

then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance.

then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men),

then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the LORD’s word came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath won’t be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

When he humbled himself, the LORD’s wrath turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether. Moreover, there were good things found in Judah.

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon everyone

who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even if they aren’t clean according to the purification of the sanctuary.”

However, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the LORD’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

His prayer also, and how God listened to his request, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places and set up the Asherah poles and the engraved images before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says the LORD.

Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.”

and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did amongst them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.

and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year crops and the exaction of every debt.

for the show bread, for the continual meal offering, for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”

“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him

(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”

The LORD restored Job’s prosperity when he prayed for his friends. The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD.

For your name’s sake, LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.

By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the LORD doesn’t impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.

But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.

Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.

Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.

You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah.

You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

You answered them, LORD our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings.

who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases,

He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.

He will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but amongst the upright there is good will.

By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

He who covers an offence promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offence.

Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.

Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,

Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the LORD: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”

In that day you will say, “I will give thanks to you, the LORD; for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you comfort me.

The LORD of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he makes all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are beaten in pieces, so that the Asherah poles and the incense altars shall rise no more.

The inhabitant won’t say, “I am sick.” The people who dwell therein will be forgiven their iniquity.

Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from amongst you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly;

“Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will serve you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favour I have had mercy on you.

Don’t be furious, LORD. Don’t remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people.

“They say, ‘If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him, and becomes another man’s, should he return to her again?’ Wouldn’t that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me,” says the LORD.

Go, and proclaim these words towards the north, and say, ‘Return, you backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not look in anger on you, for I am merciful,’ says the LORD. ‘I will not keep anger forever.

“Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.

“How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes’ houses.

if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I still earnestly remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy on him,” says the LORD.

They will no longer each teach his neighbour, and every man teach his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD;’ for they will all know me, from their least to their greatest,” says the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against me. I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against me and by which they have transgressed against me.

It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I intend to do to them, that they may each return from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

In those days, and in that time,” says the LORD, “the iniquity of Israel will be sought for, and there will be none, also the sins of Judah, and they won’t be found; for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.

“We have transgressed and have rebelled. You have not pardoned.

Those of you that escape will remember me amongst the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the prostitute after their idols. Then they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’”

None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.

None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done that which is lawful and right. He will surely live.

“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.

They will forget their shame and all their trespasses by which they have trespassed against me, when they dwell securely in their land. No one will make them afraid

In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to kill the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering.

You shall take of its blood and put it on its four horns, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around. You shall cleanse it and make atonement for it that way.

and one lamb of the flock out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel—for a meal offering, for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord GOD.

It shall be the prince’s part to give the burnt offerings, the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the meal offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.”

The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court.

So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple. So you shall make atonement for the house.

On that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him.

Lord, according to all your righteousness, please let your anger and your wrath be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a reproach to all who are around us.

Lord, hear. Lord, forgive. Lord, listen and do. Don’t defer, for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

“Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

The LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman loved by another, and an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love cakes of raisins.”

I will not execute the fierceness of my anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God, and not man—the Holy One amongst you. I will not come in wrath.

Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips.

“I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.

Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.”

When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.

The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.

God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

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.

He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from amongst you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.

He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, “Take the filthy garments off him.” To him he said, “Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing.”

For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua: on one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ says the LORD of Armies, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

“In that day there will be a fountain opened to David’s house and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.

leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,

Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?

You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralysed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”

For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.”

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come.

“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.

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 lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’

So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.

for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

John came baptising in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk’?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—

“Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;

but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”

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.

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”

to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralysed man, “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.”

“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.

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.

When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”

Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.

If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments amongst them, they cast lots.

and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle.

She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”

If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

“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,

God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

He knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”

Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins;

to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance amongst those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practise the same things.

whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;

“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”

who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”

Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse.

Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honourable in the sight of all men.

Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?

doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

so that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.

Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.

You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.

Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

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.

See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.

without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good,

At my first defence, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility towards all men.

But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.

His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

For every high priest, being taken from amongst men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.

Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”

but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.

According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

“I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.”

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and many be defiled by it,

For judgement is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.

and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

not rendering evil for evil or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

And above all things be earnest in your love amongst yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

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

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

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—