Top 222 Forgiveness Quotes

When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn’t work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.

No person is perfect. I haven’t, thank God, had any infidelity issues. But you can’t say what you won’t ever do. And you can’t say that you won’t have forgiveness in your heart if there were to be an issue like that.

If you look at everything I do – even in ‘Boo!’ there’s a message, and it’s always ‘faith, family, forgiveness.’ That’s the greatest gift that I’ve been given. I can get a message to the very people I grew up with, the millions who love what I do.

A wonderful quality about America is that we love redemption stories. We’re quick to lash out and assign blame, but we also draw from deep reservoirs of forgiveness.

Forgiveness provides hope, joy, and a bright future that nothing else can.

It’s only through Christ that we can take full advantage of God’s mercy and forgiveness through repentance in Jesus’ name.

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Through faith in the Lord Jesus alone can we obtain forgiveness of our sins, and be at peace with God; but, believing in Jesus, we become, through this very faith, the children of God; have God as our Father, and may come to Him for all the temporal and spiritual blessings which we need.

Forgiveness is not a one-time thing that happened the day you received Christ. It is an everyday thing, for the rest of your life.

Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.

I am a minister and I preach forgiveness all time.

I introduced the FREED Vets Act to make student debt forgiveness for disabled veterans automatic, both now and in the future, regardless of who is in the White House.

My parents did their best – that earns a lot of forgiveness. But they say children grow up in spite of their parents, and I think I did.

I think it’s important to remember that Christianity was based in love and tolerance and forgiveness and acceptance.

Humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another.

It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.

I think one of the most important things in evolving is forgiveness.

The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.

Forgiveness is the giving, and so the receiving, of life.

I’ve learned powerful lessons about the nature of forgiveness from human rights defenders. For example, for the greater good of his country, Kofi Woods emerged from a torture chamber in Liberia to later defend the very men who had brutalized him.

The most important thing that I learned in growing up is that forgiveness is something that, when you do it, you free yourself to move on.

I discipline churchgoers with godly lessons and sharp words if they do not change their ways. My goal is to open their hearts so that they seek forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the final form of love.

God will forgive me. It’s his job.

I thank the Lord for the great principle of repentance and forgiveness.

One of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody everything everynight before you go to bed.

Forgiveness in any aspect of something that is complex is the greatest tool.

Forgiveness has an uncanny way of bringing incredible good out of incredibly bad situations.

For the millions of Americans, like my family, who believe that there is a creator God who can be known personally, Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ offer of love and forgiveness for all people.

I really do believe that God is love, one of deep affection and grace and forgiveness and inspiration.

A mistake is always forgivable, rarely excusable and always unacceptable.

Life is an adventure in forgiveness.

I think faith gives us a structure around which to try to organize our lives. I’m also a big believer, and very thankful that there’s forgiveness.

Asking for forgiveness is just one of the most painful kind of experiences.

We only learn at the speed of pain, and we don’t have others in our lives without forgiveness.

The spirit of forgiveness should prevail, and there should be tolerance and understanding among all political parties for us to move forward.

I shall be an autocrat: that’s my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that’s his.

We are not forgiven because we are good. We are forgiven because Christ bore our sins.

Every one of us have been disappointed before and have had to go through the grieving process of anger and, you know, disappointment and then acceptance and forgiveness.

As we know, forgiveness of oneself is the hardest of all the forgivenesses.

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a big part of – especially post-civil rights movement – is a big part of African-American Christianity, and I wasn’t raised within the Christian church; I wasn’t raised within any church.

I’m currently in an interesting correspondence with a nun about forgiveness.

Forgiveness is hard for me, man. It is for most American-Western males. It’s a sign of weakness.

The forgiveness that comes of patient interpretation seems impossible when those nearest to your heart are threatened.

Sins cannot be undone, only forgiven.

We win by tenderness. We conquer by forgiveness.

I’m a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people who have been in gangs and now dedicate their lives to helping inner city kids. I’ve run offender services with teachings of responsibility, empathy and understanding of the victims at their heart. I’ve seen people change.

I think if there’s a support system in place, and you’re acting adult-to-adult with a sense of unconditional love and forgiveness, only good things will come from any relationship between men and women.

What is forgiveness? An emotion? A coping mechanism? An element of deepest faith? A way for the heart and soul to combat the type of hate, anger, rage and a thirst for revenge that could ultimately consume a person? All of those and more?

In 2006, 2 years ago, I made a very serious mistake. A mistake that I am responsible for and no one else. In 2006, I told Elizabeth about the mistake, asked her for her forgiveness, asked God for his forgiveness.

I think the first step is to understand that forgiveness does not exonerate the perpetrator. Forgiveness liberates the victim. It’s a gift you give yourself.

To understand is to forgive, even oneself.

Many people have trouble with forgiveness because they have been taught it is a singular act to be completed in one sitting. That is not so. Forgiveness has many layers, many seasons.

I am 100% in the camp that says forgiveness is mostly about the forgiver.

Paula Deen is a human being. She deserves forgiveness and a chance at redemption as much as anyone else. America is about redemption.

Things happen for a reason, and the only thing you can do is at night time get on your knees and ask God for forgiveness for anything that you did that you didn’t feel was right.

Forgiveness takes time. It is the last step of the grieving process.

It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.

I struggle with insecurities. I struggle with forgiveness. I struggle with letting someone go that did me dirty without vengeance, which is an evil thing.

I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and rose again, and that’s my belief. I still don’t know what ‘Christian’ means. I’m a follower of Christ, but I keep making a whole bunch of mistakes. And I thank God for forgiveness.

And you know, when you’ve experienced grace and you feel like you’ve been forgiven, you’re a lot more forgiving of other people. You’re a lot more gracious to others.

My desire is to be a forgiving, non-judgmental person.

New kinds of heroics need to be celebrated – like love, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, diplomacy – or we’re not going to get there.

I desired to become a Christian, and prayed earnestly for the forgiveness of my sins. I felt a peace of mind resulting, and loved every one, feeling desirous that all should have their sins forgiven, and love Jesus as I did.

There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.

The things that interest me are less to do with perhaps finding myself and more to do with surviving and mercy and forgiveness.

I ask the people of Connecticut for their forgiveness, I should have paid more attention to people around me and people that I trusted but I am sorry for my actions and take full responsibility.

Before Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962, he was an angry, relatively young man. He founded the ANC’s military wing. When he was released, he surprised everyone because he was talking about reconciliation and forgiveness and not about revenge.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Children begin by loving their parents; after a time they judge them; rarely, if ever, do they forgive them.

Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.

9/11 revealed that those about to die do not seem afraid or plead for forgiveness for their sins, if they think about them at all. They all have one thing in mind – those they love – and they all do the same thing: They call them up – spouses, family or friends – to tell them they love them.

We need Grace and forgiveness.

Here is the amazing thing about Easter; the Resurrection Sunday for Christians is this, that Christ in the dying moments on the cross gives us the greatest illustration of forgiveness possible.

I think forgiveness is overrated, personally, because some things people do are unforgivable.

I have always had tremendous amount of patience, compassion and forgiveness.

I had the honor to meet Nelson Mandela, and I heard him explain his forgiveness of his captors of 27 years by saying hatred and bitterness is destructive – the power is in love and forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not a feeling – it’s a decision we make because we want to do what’s right before God. It’s a quality decision that won’t be easy and it may take time to get through the process, depending on the severity of the offense.

Well, I’ve never left my faith – but have I made a lot of mistakes? But was I fortunate that I was brought up in that Pentecostal church, where I heard about God’s love and God’s forgiveness.

I did a lot of things that I regretted and I certainly paid for my mistakes. You have to go and ask for forgiveness and it wasn’t until I really started doing good and doing right, by other people as well as myself, that I really started to feel that guilt go away. So I don’t have a problem going to sleep at night.

God forgives those who invent what they need.

I have to ask Allah’s forgiveness and not get angry, because they come to me out of love, and it’s not fitting that I should turn to them in hatred.

Forgiveness is not to give the other person peace. Forgiveness is for you. Take that opportunity.

I was born into a Christian family and brought up in a Lutheran church. My faith has been the center point of my life, really, since I was a child, but at 16 years of age, I fully surrendered my life over to Christ. At that point, as a teenager, I began to grasp the concept of Christ’s true love and forgiveness.

I believe there are more films that involve love and forgiveness than violence, but they often seem fake and are almost embarrassing to watch.

It’s always best to ask for forgiveness if you feel that you made a mistake. And again, asking for forgiveness is not just saying the words ‘I’m sorry’; it is also offering what you need to do.

You can’t legislate into existence an act of forgiveness and a true confession; those are mysteries of the human heart, and they occur between one individual and another individual, not a panel of judges sitting asking questions, trying to test your truth.

Forgive, son; men are men; they needs must err.

It is very east to forgive others their mistakes; it takes more grit and gumption to forgive them for having witnessed your own.

Historically, narratives of forgiveness were part of both the anti-slavery movement and the civil rights movement in America. ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin,’ for instance, was based loosely on the life of the Rev. Josiah Henson, who forgave his master that wanted to sell him and beat him after Henson begged him not to.

It is always the case that when the Christian looks back, he is looking at the forgiveness of sins.

All I could do was try to build a new life and find a way somehow to repair some of the damage. People had every reason to doubt my sincerity, but most of them didn’t. And – given my history, it was more than I could’ve hoped for – forgiveness and the benefit of the doubt. It still amazes me.

Having known war I know the value of peace. Having lived under government control I know the value of freedom. Having lived with hatred, terror and corruption I know the value of faith and forgiveness.

Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours.

Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.

It seems to me like Mother Nature’s mercy and forgiveness have run dry, as we ceaselessly abuse her and take her for granted in order for us to continue our addiction to using fossil fuels. I’ve gotta say, I don’t blame her. Not one bit.

The power of forgiveness is huge; it is really big, and it can save this world.

Sandy Meisner would say it takes 20 years to make an actor. Some people it takes five, some people 30. And you have to have patience and forgiveness for yourself. It’s hard when you see people at your age or younger becoming successful.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to. Mark’s happier. I’m sober. There are still phone calls to be made, people I need to say something to. But everyone from Creed who I’ve offended or hurt, I ask for their forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.

The ineffable joy of forgiving and being forgiven forms an ecstasy that might well arouse the envy of the gods.

My husband was a serial adulterer, and there was nothing I could do about it: no questions I could ask him, no argument I could have with him, no explanation he could give me or pleas he could make for forgiveness.

We have to look at loan forgiveness to incentivise young people to pursue degrees in areas where we know we need help.

Forgiveness really is so misunderstood, as well as the power it can release in an individual.

If I owe Smith ten dollars and God forgives me, that doesn’t pay Smith.

If I get to the end of my life, if I die, and I find out religion is one big lie, I still won’t regret it because it’s helped me to live a better life, to be a better person, to care about people, to believe in forgiveness, to believe in hope.

The biggest takeaway from a memoir is that you have to play fair. Within the first draft, I was writing very angrily because I had a lot of resentment and a lot to process. Through revision is where a lot of learning happened and a lot of forgiveness happened.

The Gospel offers forgiveness for the past, new life for the present, and hope for the future.

As we hone the ability to let go of distraction, to begin again without rancor or judgment, we are deepening forgiveness and compassion for ourselves. And in life, we find we might make a mistake, and more easily begin again, or stray from our chosen course and begin again.

Forgiveness for one’s self is the only way we can keep going through life and give ourselves the best chance at being the best people we can be.

Forgiveness allowed me to wash my burdened past away.

I’d say I’m not sure about Christianity, but I sure do like their Christ and the lessons about turning the other cheek, about forgiveness, of yourself and others.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

I love discussing social issues, but I’m not interested in scare tactics. I believe there is a way to bring awareness in tandem with forgiveness and love.

Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on.

One forgives to the degree that one loves.

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.

I cannot stand that whole game of confession, that is: Here I have sinned, now I’m confessing my sins, and describing my path of sin and then in the act of confession I beg for your forgiveness and redemption.

I think we learn the most from imperfect relationships – things like forgiveness and compassion.

I like cast iron coated with enamel for longevity and forgiveness if I happen to take my eyes off the prize while pouring Chianti.

There would be no need for love if perfection were possible. Love arises from our imperfection, from our being different and always in need of the forgiveness, encouragement and that missing half of ourselves that we are searching for, as the Greek myth tells us, in order to complete ourselves.

As a matter of fact, forgiveness is not something you feel like doing, it’s really a choice.

Can you really forgive if you can’t forget?

People have to render judgment. In my case, I’ve said upfront openly, I’ve made mistakes at times. I’ve had to go to God for forgiveness. I’ve had to seek reconciliation. But I’m also a 68-year-old grandfather, and I think people have to measure who I am now and whether I’m a person they can trust.

Forgiveness is like faith. You have to keep reviving it.

Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough.

Yes, one can repent of moral transgression. The miracle of forgiveness is real, and true repentance is accepted of the Lord.

To sin offers repentance and forgiveness; not to sin offers only punishment.

We get a lot of raps as Americans for being small-minded, but in fact, when you really drill down to the core of the culture, there’s an enormous amount of compassion and forgiveness and support.

Forgiveness is a very personal and intimate thing. Forgiveness is not something that you can speak for others because it includes not only your desire and will, your reflection and intellect, but also your emotions.

Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.

If you’re truthful with yourself and others, forgiveness clears the path to righteousness, to grace. All we want is grace. We all want that light in our lives. And we can only get that when we go deep into truth.

Forgiveness gives you a chance to be fulfilled rather than be eaten up with anger.

If we were not sinners, Jesus would not have had to come. If he didn’t see us as sinners, he could have loved us without dying for us. He died for our sins. So if we’re all sinners, that means everybody’s in the pot together needing the same love, the same grace and the same forgiveness.

Life is life. You have to learn how to forgive people and how to gain forgiveness for yourself.

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note – torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.

You’ve just got to have a sense of respect for the person you have children with. Anger doesn’t help anybody. Ultimately you have to say forgiveness is important, and honoring what you had together is important. But it’s easy to say and harder to do.

I can’t turn the clock back but I can seek the forgiveness of those I’ve wronged.

By their innocence and goodness, by their boundless capacity for forgiveness, and by the sheer power of their faith and hope, children redeem their parents, bringing out their best selves.

To my younger self, I would say unless you’re literally in danger, ask forgiveness instead of asking permission.

Many times, the decisions we make affect and hurt your closest friends and family the most. I have a lot of regrets in that regard. But God has forgiven me, which I am very thankful for. It has enabled me to forgive myself and move forward one day at a time.

If I say, ‘I forgive you,’ I have implicitly said you have done something wrong to me. But what forgiveness is at its heart is both saying that justice has been violated and not letting that violation count against the offender.

Do you ever achieve total forgiveness after screwing up?

If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.

The themes in ‘Violet’ are universal: accepting yourself with all of your flaws, moving on, and the forgiveness and freedom that comes along with that.

Many promising reconciliations have broken down because while both parties come prepared to forgive, neither party come prepared to be forgiven.

What is forgiven is usually well remembered.

Forgiveness is the needle that knows how to mend.

If only I wasn’t an atheist, I could get away with anything. You’d just ask for forgiveness and then you’d be forgiven. It sounds much better than having to live with guilt.

Forgiveness is about empowering yourself, rather than empowering your past.

I believe in forgiveness.

Perhaps one could say I’ve worked in South Africa too long, but I believe in forgiveness, especially when a person admits a mistake, asks for forgiveness, and works to right a wrong.

Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.

I think when you’re happy, emotions are right near the top – mine definitely are. I cry easily, I laugh easily, I lose my temper easily… and I beg for forgiveness easily.

Every effort should be made to help build the new democratic nation with reconciliation and forgiveness, for the sake of Egypt and not for the benefit of a party or a group.

We cannot go alone to God. We belong to His Mystical Body, the Church; by even our most secret sins, if they be grievous, we have injured the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and must ask forgiveness of His Mystical Body, too.

We all know in our hearts that forgiveness is the right thing; it’s just a matter of being inspired to reach that place.

So many people ask, ‘How could you forgive your mother for the way you were raised?’ It’s really not forgiveness, in my opinion. It’s acceptance. She’s never going to be the sort of mother who wants to take care of me.

When you forgive, you in no way change the past – but you sure do change the future.

People will constantly bring up my past and throw it in my face, but the Creator of the Universe doesn’t. If you ask forgiveness from Him, then it’s gone forever. The past is never brought up to shame you or degrade you.

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.

The mere acknowledgment that ‘God is watching’ can act as a trap, fueling bad behavior, corruption, and guilt, all remedied by God’s forgiveness. No personal responsibility is needed – someone on the outside sees whatever we’re doing and makes it all OK.

Knowing that you are completely forgiven destroys the power of sin in your life.

Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, those are life-altering lessons.

Jesus’ own witness of sacrificial love and forgiveness, and his work to heal the sick and care for those in need, represent God’s ways and vision for us.

The things the writers have me doing on ‘Suburgatory’ are insane. I think they think it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Anger ventilated often hurries towards forgiveness; anger concealed often hardens into revenge.

Each life is unique. But for all, repentance will surely include passing through the portal of humble prayer. Our Father in Heaven can allow us to feel fully the conviction of our sins. He knows the depths of our remorse. He can then direct what we must do to qualify for forgiveness.

China’s idea of fair trade is government subsidies of its textile and apparel exports to the United States, currency manipulation, and forgiveness of loans by its government banks.

There are curveballs that are thrown at you, and you just have to get over it and forgive… if you believe you’re perfect, and you don’t believe in forgiveness, you’re not meant to be married.

Forgiveness is that subtle thread that binds both love and friendship. Without forgiveness, you may not even have a child one day.

‘Caught’ is a novel of forgiveness, and the past and the present – who should be and who shouldn’t be forgiven. None of my books are ever just about thrills, or it won’t work.

My experience has shown me that many people struggle with forgiveness of self and/or others.

The Queen has well-informed opinions of many of her bishops and likes those who are straightforward and intelligent. Both she and Prince Philip believe Christianity is as much about forgiveness as morality.

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.

Sometimes I see myself fine, sometimes I need a witness. And I like the whole truth, but there are nights I only need forgiveness.

I believe in forgiveness; I believe in trying to work with people.

Just knowing you don’t have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn – and those are all good things.

I learned that I have purpose and my experiences no matter how horrible taught me heart, strength and forgiveness!

I come from a background where, if someone is rough and tough, you handle things physically. People betrayed me, and you just want to choke them. But you choose forgiveness.

I do not shy away from accepting that I had a troubled past, but in the journey of coming out of that dark phase, I understand humans better. I am less judgmental and more compassionate. I learned empathy and forgiveness, and that gives me confidence as a person.

We cannot serve the Lord if we don’t have a heart of forgiveness.

One can’t relive one’s life. Forgiveness is not what’s difficult; one’s always too ready to forgive. And it does no good, that’s obvious.

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.

I believe in forgiveness.

God forgive you, but I never can.

When you are happy you can forgive a great deal.

Without forgiveness life is governed by… an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.

Love in the real world means saying you’re sorry 10 times a day.

If you don’t believe God has forgiven you, you are actually saying that God needs to do more for your forgiveness, and that Jesus’ sacrifice was not enough.

It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place, because it frees you.

The only thing I’ve settled in my mind is that I want to forgive, and forgiveness comes with forgetting.

Forgiveness to the injured does belong; but they ne’er pardon who have done wrong.

To confer dignity, forgive. To express contempt, forget.

I learned about forgiveness, and I’ve reached out to others to make amends.

Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself.

Look at the things you’ve done and ask for forgiveness. After clearing out that wreckage from the past, you can move forward, in a way, to keep your finger on the pulse.

I clearly have done things that were wrong. I’ve clearly had to seek God’s forgiveness.

It’s said in Hollywood that you should always forgive your enemies – because you never know when you’ll have to work with them.

Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness.

Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.

Dear friends: faith and forgiveness is much more powerful than napalm could ever be.

There is freedom in forgiveness, and it’s not that hard to do once you get into the habit.

Only the brave know how to forgive… a coward never forgave; it is not in his nature.

The ability to forgive is one of man’s greatest achievements.

I believe in the redemptive need to admit mistakes, express regret, and ask for forgiveness.

No poem in the world could do my mom justice. Despite circumstance and adversity, she had an unwavering love for her kids and a faith-based, boundless capacity for forgiveness.

Satan tries to counterfeit the work of God, and by doing this, he may deceive many. To make us lose hope, feel miserable like himself, and believe that we are beyond forgiveness, Satan might even misuse words from the scriptures that emphasize the justice of God in order to imply that there is no mercy.

Sin and forgiveness and falling and getting back up and losing the pearl of great price in the couch cushions but then finding it again, and again, and again? Those are the stumbling steps to becoming Real, the only script that’s really worth following in this world or the one that’s coming.

Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.

When people do, or say, things we don’t believe in, forgiveness can feel disgusting. But when you try to think of someone who isn’t worthy of it, it’s hard to find an example.

Your heart has to be prepared ahead of time through faith and prayer and grace and mercy and love and forgiveness so you can keep your heart open in hell, when hell happens.

I would say the hierarchy has made terrible errors in judgment and it has to seek forgiveness by its members.

The people who did you wrong or who didn’t quite know how to show up, you forgive them. And forgiving them allows you to forgive yourself too.

Forgiveness is the economy of the heart… forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.

The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.

The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.

I was probably about 22 years old when I recommitted myself to get off the fence and go all in and get serious about my faith. That’s really when I experienced God’s love and His forgiveness and His true grace.