Forgiveness in the Bible

John writes about the Word of life, which he heard, saw, and touched. God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. He urges believers to walk in the light and have fellowship with one another. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus is our advocate with the Father. John tests love for God by obedience to His commands—whoever says I know Him but does not keep His commands is a liar. He warns against loving the world and its desires, which are passing away. He addresses children, young people, and fathers, warning about antichrists who deny the Father and Son.

Solomon kneels before the entire assembly and prays an extensive dedication prayer. He asks God to hear prayers directed toward the temple — in times of sin, drought, famine, plague, war, and exile — and to forgive those who repent.

Manasseh reigns as the most wicked king of Judah, filling Jerusalem with idolatry and bloodshed. But when captured by Assyria and humbled, he repents and God restores him. Manasseh removes the foreign gods and restores proper worship. His son Amon reverses the reforms and is assassinated.

Paul writes about restoring a repentant offender with forgiveness and comfort, lest Satan gain a foothold through unforgiveness. He describes the spread of the gospel as the aroma of Christ—a fragrance of life to those being saved and of death to those perishing.

The prophet Nathan confronts David with a parable about a rich man stealing a poor man's lamb. David condemns himself, and Nathan declares you are the man. David repents, but the child born to Bathsheba dies. Solomon is later born to them.

Joab devises a scheme using a wise woman of Tekoa to persuade David to bring Absalom back from exile. David allows Absalom to return to Jerusalem but refuses to see him for two more years until Absalom forces a meeting.

Joab rebukes David's excessive mourning, warning it demoralizes his loyal troops. David returns to Jerusalem, pardons Shimei, clarifies Mephibosheth's loyalty, and honors old Barzillai. Tribal jealousy erupts between Judah and Israel.

Stephen delivers a powerful speech recounting Israel's history from Abraham to Solomon, showing the nation's pattern of rejecting God's messengers. He accuses the council of resisting the Holy Spirit. As they stone him, Stephen sees Jesus standing at God's right hand and prays for his killers' forgiveness, becoming the first Christian martyr.

Paul warns against deceptive philosophy and human tradition. In Christ, the fullness of deity dwells bodily. Believers are complete in Him, circumcised spiritually, raised with Him through faith. Christ has canceled the record of debt against us, nailing it to the cross, disarming spiritual powers.

Jacob and Esau meet and reconcile after twenty years apart. Esau runs to embrace his brother and they weep together. Jacob settles near Shechem in Canaan and buys a plot of land, setting up an altar called El Elohe Israel.

Joseph can no longer contain himself and reveals his identity to his brothers, weeping loudly. He tells them not to be angry with themselves, for God sent him ahead to preserve life. Joseph sends for Jacob and Pharaoh invites the whole family to settle in the best land of Egypt.

Joseph mourns Jacob's death and fulfils his promise to bury him in Canaan with an elaborate funeral procession. His brothers fear Joseph will now take revenge, but Joseph reassures them with one of the Bible's greatest statements of faith: what they meant for evil, God meant for good. Joseph dies at 110 and is embalmed in Egypt.

Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant, established on better promises. The author quotes Jeremiah's prophecy of the new covenant, where God puts His laws in their minds and writes them on their hearts. He will be their God, and they will be His people. The old covenant is obsolete.

The author describes the old tabernacle system with its outer room and Most Holy Place. Christ entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not with animal blood but with His own blood, securing eternal redemption. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Christ offered Himself once for all.

The law's repeated sacrifices could never make worshipers perfect. But by one sacrifice, Christ has made perfect forever those being sanctified. Having confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, believers should draw near to God, hold firmly to hope, and spur one another toward love and good deeds. Do not throw away your confidence.

The beautiful conclusion: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. God promises to heal their apostasy, love them freely, and be like dew to Israel. They will blossom like a lily, take root like Lebanon's cedars. Whoever is wise, let them understand these things.

Despite Israel's spiritual adultery — unfaithfulness worse than a divorced wife — God pleads for them to return. He contrasts faithless Israel with treacherous Judah, and promises that genuine repentance will bring shepherds after His own heart.

The pinnacle of Jeremiah's hope: God declares an everlasting love, promises Rachel's weeping will end, and announces the New Covenant — writing His law on hearts rather than stone tablets. This becomes the theological foundation for the New Testament.

Jesus forgives the woman caught in adultery, telling her accusers that whoever is without sin should cast the first stone. He declares Himself the light of the world and teaches about spiritual freedom: you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. He makes the explosive claim: before Abraham was, I AM.

Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb. The risen Jesus appears to her, then to the disciples behind locked doors, breathing on them and commissioning them. Thomas, who was absent, doubts until Jesus appears again and invites him to touch His wounds. Thomas confesses: My Lord and my God!

The risen Jesus appears at the Sea of Tiberias and orchestrates another miraculous catch of fish. He restores Peter with three questions—do you love me?—commissioning him to feed His sheep. Jesus hints at Peter's martyrdom and the beloved disciple's future. John closes noting Jesus did many other things not recorded.

The sin offering addresses unintentional sins by priests, the whole community, leaders, and common people. Different animals are required depending on who sinned — a bull for the priest, a male goat for a leader, a female goat or lamb for ordinary people. Blood is sprinkled to make atonement.

Further provisions for the sin offering address specific situations: failing to testify, touching something unclean, or making a rash oath. The guilt offering (trespass offering) is introduced for sins involving sacred things. A sliding scale allows poorer people to bring lesser offerings.

God prescribes the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the most sacred day in the Israelite calendar. The high priest enters the Most Holy Place once a year with blood to make atonement for the nation. Two goats are used — one sacrificed and one sent into the wilderness as the scapegoat bearing the people's sins.

John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizes in the Jordan. He challenges the crowds to produce fruit worthy of repentance and prepares the way for Jesus. Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends, and the Father speaks. Luke traces Jesus' genealogy back to Adam and God.

Jesus calls His first disciples after a miraculous catch of fish, telling Simon Peter he will now catch people. He cleanses a leper, heals a paralytic lowered through the roof, and calls Levi the tax collector. He teaches that new wine must go into new wineskins.

Jesus heals the centurion's servant, commending his extraordinary faith. He raises the widow's son at Nain from the dead. John the Baptist sends disciples to ask if Jesus is the one, and Jesus commends John. A sinful woman anoints Jesus' feet, and He declares her sins forgiven because she loved much.

Jesus teaches the disciples to pray, giving a version of the Lord's Prayer. He teaches about persistent prayer and the Father's willingness to give the Holy Spirit. He confronts the Pharisees and lawyers, pronouncing woes on their hypocrisy and burdensome rules.

The chapter of the lost: Jesus tells three parables—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son—to reveal the Father's heart that rejoices extravagantly when even one lost person returns. The prodigal son is one of the most beloved stories in all Scripture.

Jesus teaches about forgiveness, faith the size of a mustard seed, and gratitude—only one of ten healed lepers returns to thank Him. He teaches about the coming of the kingdom, warning that it will arrive suddenly and that people must not look back.

Jesus is tried before Pilate and Herod, neither finding guilt. Pilate offers to release Him but the crowd demands Barabbas. Jesus is crucified between two criminals; one repents and Jesus promises him paradise. Darkness covers the land, the temple curtain tears, and Jesus commends His spirit to the Father.

Jesus heals a paralytic, demonstrating His authority to forgive sins. He calls Matthew the tax collector, dines with sinners, and performs further healings including raising a girl from death. He expresses compassion for crowds who are like sheep without a shepherd.

Conflict intensifies as the Pharisees challenge Jesus about Sabbath observance and attribute His miracles to Satan. Jesus declares that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand and warns about the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Jesus teaches about humility, using a child as an example of greatness in the kingdom. He addresses sin within the community, outlines a process for reconciliation, and tells the parable of the unforgiving servant. He declares that where two or three gather in His name, He is there.

Micah laments: the faithful have vanished, everyone lies in wait for blood, trust no one — not even family. Yet the book ends with astonishing hope: God will again have compassion, tread iniquities underfoot, hurl sins into the sea, and show faithfulness to Abraham — who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity?

Jesus heals a paralytic lowered through a roof, demonstrating His authority to forgive sins. He calls Levi the tax collector, defends eating with sinners, and asserts His lordship over the Sabbath. He teaches that new wine requires new wineskins.

Paul writes a personal letter to Philemon about his runaway slave Onesimus, who has become a believer and now a beloved brother. Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus back—not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord—and offers to cover any debts. This short letter demonstrates the gospel's power to transform social relationships.

An acrostic prayer for guidance, forgiveness, and protection. David asks God to teach him his ways and remember mercy rather than youthful sins. He declares that God's friendship is for those who fear him.