Forgiving our enemies can be one of the hardest challenges we face. In the Bible, God provides us with wisdom and guidance on how to embrace forgiveness. Let’s explore some powerful verses that can help us understand and practice this essential part of our faith journey.
Bible Verses About Forgiving Your Enemies
Matthew 6:14 – Forgiving others fosters our own forgiveness
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Luke 6:27 – Love and kindness towards your adversaries
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
Proverbs 24:17 – Do not gloat when your enemy falls
“Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice.”
Romans 12:20 – Show mercy to your enemy
“On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Matthew 5:44 – Praying for those who persecute you
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Luke 23:34 – Jesus’ final prayer for His executioners
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”
Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Mark 11:25 – Forgiveness and prayer linked
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Romans 12:14 – Bless, do not curse
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
Matthew 18:21-22 – Forgive limitlessly
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’
1 Peter 3:9 – Respond with blessings
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
Acts 7:60 – Stephen’s forgiveness
“Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Leviticus 19:18 – Do not seek revenge
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
Proverbs 25:21-22 – Helping enemies melts hearts
“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.”
Also Read: 40 Bible Verses about Favoritism
James 5:9 – Avoid grumbling against others
“Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”
Peter 2:23 – Jesus’ trust in divine judgment
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
2 Corinthians 2:10 – Forgiving for the greater cause
“Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake.”
Romans 12:17 – Avoid evil actions
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.”
James 1:19-20 – Be slow to anger
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
Matthew 7:1-2 – Judgment and forgiveness
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 – Seek goodness actively
“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”
Proverbs 20:22 – Leave revenge to the Lord
“Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.”
Galatians 6:1 – Restore with a gentle spirit
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
Romans 14:13 – Avoid causing others to stumble
“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”
Matthew 5:9 – Peacemakers bring heavenly joy
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Proverbs 10:12 – Love overshadows offenses
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”
1 Corinthians 13:5 – Love forgives easily
“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – Embrace humility and compassion
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Luke 17:3 – Reprove and forgiving repentance
“So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.”
Matthew 7:3-5 – Check yourself before judging others
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
1 John 2:9 – Love dispels hatred’s darkness
“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.”
Romans 2:1 – Judgment and hypocrisy
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.”
James 3:17 – Wisdom from Heaven grants peace
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
2 Timothy 2:24 – The Lord’s servant isn’t quarrelsome
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”
1 Corinthians 16:14 – Do everything with love
“Do everything in love.”
Ephesians 4:26-27 – Settle your anger quickly
“‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Isaiah 1:18 – God’s invitation to settle matters
“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'”
Romans 14:19 – Pursue peace and mutual edification
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
1 John 4:20 – Loving God includes loving others
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”