17 Bible Verses on Friendship and Forgiveness

While we can only choose whether or not to forgive someone and how we feel, forgiving others has some definite benefits.

Our ability to forgive then offers us more peace and happiness, which is why the Godly way of showing compassion is essential.

Bible Verses on Friendship and Forgiveness

Friendship is one of the best parts of our lives, but sometimes can be difficult when hurtful words are spoken. We can hold onto anger and resentment for years if we fail to forgive others.

In this article, we will look at 17 Bible verses on friendship and forgiveness that can help us forgive others when needed.

Mark 11:25 – Forgiveness releases the power of the Love of Jesus in our lives.

 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Because we want to forgive on our terms, discussing forgiveness can be one of the most challenging conversations we, as Christians, can have. We want to forgive when it’s convenient or serves our purposes.

If we are being completely honest with ourselves, we must acknowledge that forgiving is complex and that we frequently say, “I can forgive, but I can’t forget.” If you cannot forgive someone, you have not indeed done so, and the sign that you have forgiven someone is forgetting.

God forgives us by forgetting. According to what He declares in His Word, our sins are carried by God as far as the east is from the west. Forgiveness releases the power of the Love of Jesus in our lives.

Luke 6:37 – The Spirit of Judgment.

 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37

Jesus tells us that the measure by which people and God will evaluate us will be based on the spirit of judgment with which we treat others. Since we are aware of the transformative power of God’s forgiveness, we are to be forgiving people instead.

Prayer

Father of glory, we pray fervently and explicitly ask God to pardon and bless those who have harmed the people I care about or me.

I apologize if I assumed their intents and judged their motivations.

As I try to be as kind to others as Jesus has been, kindly give me the courage and the Spirit of Christ I need. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

1 Peter 3:9 –  The importance of forgiveness.

 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.

1 Peter 3:9

In a few critical statements, Peter outlines the dos and don’ts of Christian living.

After emphasizing the importance of harmony, brotherly love, empathy, and concern for others, he encourages followers of Christ to refrain from carrying out acts of vengeance and returning insults with equally demeaning remarks.

When friends argue, insults are often hurled at one another in our society. Instead, we are commanded to repay evil with good. Instead of cursing them, let’s pray for them.

You should consider yourself blessed if someone calls you names, persecutes you or spreads incorrect information about you.

And do this for the glory of our dear Lord Jesus, for by doing this, we share in Christ’s suffering.

Proverbs 15:18 – A sensible man will hold back his wrath.

 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

Proverbs 15:18

The angry man incites a brawl that would not have otherwise occurred. Wherever he goes, confrontations are exacerbated by his fast fury.

However, a man who loses his temper gradually might diffuse tension and stop arguments. Instead of reacting hastily or violently, he absorbs the offenses of aggressors and helps their rage to subside.

A sensible man will hold back his wrath and overlook the wrongdoings of others. He doesn’t desire a battle. With angry people, gentle words are often adequate.

Jesus Christ advocated turning the other cheek as a virtuous reaction to insults and denounced rage that had no justification. Let’s follow our Lord’s directions so that we might live peacefully.

Proverbs 15:1 – Words have the power to help and heal.

 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1

Words have the power to help and heal, and they can offer inspiration and hope. When “pouring oil on troubled waters” or defusing a situation that may quickly turn into a major fight, wise and courteous words are a very effective tool.

What a difference the Church would make in the world if everyone who has been rescued by grace through faith in Christ lived by the fundamental principle that “a smooth answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir anger.”

What a difference could be made if we imitated Christ, who only spoke and did what He was told to do by His heavenly Father? That the populace “wondered at the sweet words that poured out of the lips of our Lord” was understandable.

Ephesians 4:32 – “You must purge yourself of all malice and bitterness.”

 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Why does forgiveness provide such a challenge for some people? Why does it seem more straightforward to harbor resentment than to humble ourselves, ask for forgiveness, and extend forgiveness to those who have wounded or offended us?

Paul’s writings on the topic have a particular order. “You must purge yourself of all malice and bitterness, wrath, indignation, clamor, and bitterness.” Paul continues, “Be kind to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you,” but only after dealing with these unfavorable feelings at the foot of the Cross.

Let us strive to be individuals who are quick to ask for pardon and quick to forgive.

Colossians 3:13 – God’s loving patience and abundant forgiveness should be reflected in how we treat one another.

 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

Given that Christ died for us even though we were still sinners, God’s loving patience and abundant forgiveness should be reflected in how we treat one another.

God’s patience and forgiveness are complete, undeserved, and unending, and we ought to imitate the example Christ set when He mercifully pardoned us.

To avoid engaging in various ungodly reactions, including rage, malice, slander, foul language, and other ungodly reactions that Paul cautioned against, we are to forgive one another generously, unreservedly, and without holding grudges.

Ephesians 4:31 – It is the crucial element.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Ephesians 4:31

We are told to cast off every kind of malice, including resentment, fury, anger, brawling, and slander. We are urged to treat one another with kindness and compassion and to forgive one another just as God did for you through Christ.

Paul teaches us that these spiritual fruits—kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and grace—can halt and even reverse the development of bitterness in our hearts because they were demonstrated to us at the Cross of Christ.

Forgiveness appears to be the critical element in eradicating bitterness in our hearts and its ungodly sisters. Genuine forgiveness coupled with acts of love, compassion, and grace renders anger and its destructive offspring inactive.

Matthew 5:44 – The purest expressions of love and forgiveness.

 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Matthew 5:44

One of the purest expressions of love and forgiveness is praying for your adversaries since it requires a genuine desire for them to experience sound.

You might show kindness to your opponents even if you don’t want to get along with them. However, praying for them involves pleading with God on their behalf in front of God, who is aware of your heart.

Jesus calls us to desire the best for our enemies and to express those desires in prayers even when they are not present (Matthew 5:47). Jesus calls us to do good deeds for our enemies, such as greeting them and providing for their needs.

Exodus 34:7 – We are encouraged to be like our Lord.

 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:7

The Lord uses three words to describe all forms of depravity: iniquity (twisted or perverse), transgression (willful disobedience against the Lord’s express demands and instructions), and sin (falling short of God’s glory).

The Lord declares that he is gracious and forgiving after exposing sin for what it is. We are encouraged to be like our Lord, show mercy to those who have wronged us, and avenge our wrongs.

Proverbs 17:9 – Love is to forget and forgive.

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends

Proverbs 17:9 ESV

Love is to forget and forgive. Do you know how to forgive and make friends? Do you understand friendship? Personal slights against you are forgiven and failed in true friendship, but ignorant friends will bring them up and sabotage harmonious relationships.

True friendship will never bring up a friend’s mistakes or transgressions in front of others, but dumb friends will.

You can only demonstrate love and make friends by covering up wrongdoing. It is putting aside personal offenses that others have committed against you. Human interactions come with the certainty that you will irritate and offend others.

But the important thing is how you handle those personal failings and show them that you value them more than yourself by disregarding their slights and provocations.

Bible Verses about Asking for Forgiveness from Friends

There’s no doubt that forgiveness is a good thing; it can make you happier, healthier, and more successful in every area of life.

But what if your friends don’t seem to understand this? That’s where asking for forgiveness from friends comes in.

The Bible calls on us to forgive our enemies while also showing us the importance of doing so and why it should be done.

Matthew 5:23-24

James 5:16

 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16

We must apologize to one another for our transgressions and pray for one another. We are urged to approach the person we have hurt as soon as possible, confess our fault, and ask for forgiveness because God wants us to do this.

The fellowship of the Lord’s love will flow into our hearts and minds as we lift those who may have wronged us in prayer, erasing any lingering resentment or residue of unforgiveness. We are also called to willingly, graciously, and fervently pray for each other.

1 Corinthians 14:20

 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. Regarding evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

1 Corinthians 14:20

Friendship and forgiveness start with the heart. Even in your heart, don’t pay attention when someone offends you. Even in your heart, ignore slights from others.

Paul encourages us to think wisely as adults about what we should do. When someone irritates you, remember to think pleasant and forgiving thoughts about them. Do not consider repaying them. Ignore the issue.

Don’t schedule a chance to bring it up. Do not rejoice or exalt yourself when someone else fails or deals with sin. Only be renowned for reiterating the blessings and achievements of others.

 Luke 17:3-4

So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.  Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Luke 17:3-4

 Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15

How can we ever ask God to forgive us if we cannot forgive others? Share God’s grace with others! If we do not extend that grace to others, it tarnishes us, and we forfeit its benefits. To spread forgiveness, we have to be forgiven.

Our everyday knowledge of God’s grace should encourage us to forgive others before we beg for our forgiveness, thus restarting the forgiveness cycle in our own lives.

Hebrews 12:14

Strive for peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14 ESV

This verse urges us to pursue peace and live in harmony with everyone around us. We are commanded to let go of any hostility, anger, envy, malice, and other unpleasant feelings that can prevent friendship and forgiveness from developing.

CONCLUSION

Learn from Jesus, who, despite the severity of our sins, forgives us and still refers to us as brothers even when we do not change our behavior.

Jesus gave his life to atone for our sins, yet he did not hate us. Let’s work toward peace because it’s one of the conditions we need to meet to see the Lord.