The Best Prayers & Bible Verses for Forgiveness

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Christian prayers to repent your sins and forgive others

Co-authored by Mark Russell and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: January 8, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Powerful Prayers for Forgiveness
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• How to Pray for Forgiveness
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• Bible Verses

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Do you feel the weight of past mistakes pushing down on you? Are past sins haunting you? If so, it may be time to pray. God’s love is unconditional and merciful—He will forgive you because He loves you. But it’s still important to repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Take a look at the prayer and Scripture examples below to learn how to pray for forgiveness for yourself and others in any situation.

A Prayer for Forgiveness & Healing

Lord, I come before You today asking for forgiveness. I’ve made mistakes, Lord, and my heart aches from them. I struggle to feel happy and bring joy to those around me. I ask that You help bring light back into my heart. Amen.

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Section 1 of 3:

Powerful Prayers for Forgiveness

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   General Prayers for Forgiveness

   • Father, today I ask forgiveness for all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously you made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. In Jesus' name.
   • Dear Lord, please forgive me for harboring anger. Equip me with a supernatural ability to forgive those who have hurt me. Guard my heart when old emotions threaten to surface. Strip my heart of anger and replace it with joy. In Jesus' name, Amen.
   • Dear Lord, search my heart. Reveal to me any remaining burs of hurt where I have attempted to forgive apart from You. I pray You would cover these hurts in Your healing grace, and through Your strength, empower me to forgive others as wholly and completely as You first forgave me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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   Prayers for Forgiving Others

   • Father, I thank You for the gift of forgiveness You gave me. Although I deserve nothing, You give me everything. Please provide me with a gracious and loving heart so that I may be able to go into the world and forgive those who need to experience the power of Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
   • Lord, I often find it challenging to be kind to those who have wounded me. I struggle to be friendly, let alone to forgive. Please help me find comfort in knowing I do not have to rely on my strength for things like this. Instead, it is You who I get to rely on, so please soften my heart and help me to forgive. Amen.
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   Prayers for Forgiving Yourself

   • Lord, thank You for loving me unconditionally and forgiving me time and time again. I know You forgive me for all my wrongdoings, Lord; please help me do the same for myself. Help me to remember that although forgiveness is not what I deserve, it is Your gift to me, and You have made me as white as snow. Thank You, Lord Jesus, amen.
   • God, I have been trying to forgive myself, but I still carry shame. Today, I receive that gift of forgiveness You hold out to me. Thank you for doing a healing work inside of me that I cannot do on my own. Thank you for a new day, a new chapter, and a new beginning. Amen.
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   Prayers for Forgiving Someone Who Hurt You

   • Lord, please help me have the strength and ability to treat my enemies with kindness, no matter what they deserve. Your Word tells us to treat others as we would want to be treated, not as they have treated us. This is difficult for me at times, and I ask that You empower me to give others the grace You would extend to me so that I may be free of the power of the enemy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
   • God, You tell us to love our enemies. However, that can be challenging. Sometimes it is hard to love our friends when they do something against us. I pray that You give me the ability to see past my pain in the present and help me forgive so that my friendships can continue to grow in You and love may prosper. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
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   Prayers for Overcoming Sin

   • Lord, I want to lay before you all that weighs heavy on my heart. Reveal even the sin I am not aware of, Lord. I lay these at your feet and pray for your forgiveness on me. I believe you when you say that you wash us whiter than snow. Thank you, Lord, for your unending love for me! Help me start fresh right now to make choices that honor you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
   • Jesus, I do not know what lies ahead, but I know a transformation of the heart is not easy. I know the journey of purification is difficult and will bring temptation. Jesus, I know that my pride must be crucified. Give me strength. Amen.
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   Prayers for Forgiveness and Healing

   • Lord, I often find it challenging to be kind to those who have wounded me. I struggle to be friendly, let alone to forgive. Please help me find comfort in knowing I do not have to rely on my strength for things like this. Instead, it is You who I get to rely on, so please soften my heart and help me to forgive. Amen.
   • Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You today with a heavy heart, the weight of the unforgiveness hanging on me. I pray that You would help me to let go of this burden that I have been carrying for far too long. Remind me how much you love and care for me, as well as, how much I have been forgiven. In Your Precious Name, Amen.
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   Prayers for a Repentant Heart

   • Jesus, I come before You and repent of my sinful ways. I hand over to You my heart infected with the evils of pride, envy, jealousy, sloth, gluttony, vanity, and lust. Root out the ties that bind me to these and all the sins my heart has committed. I ask that You cleanse my heart with Your Most Precious Blood. Amen.
   • Jesus, I know my weak heart, and so I ask that You fill my heart with the deep faith that each time I turn to You to repent of my sins, You will be there with Your loving hands to help me up and with Your strong arms to carry me when I cannot walk. Amen.
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   Prayers to Confess Sins

   • Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy, forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
   • Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you called us to be a servant people, but we do not do what you command. We are often silent when we should speak, and useless when we could be useful. Have mercy on us, O God. Forgive us and free us from sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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   Prayers for Guilt

   • My soul is burdened, and the weight of my past mistakes keeps pressing upon me. I humbly ask for Your mercy and forgiveness, for I know that I am undeserving, yet Your love for me remains unchanging.
   • I ask, O God, for Your deliverance. Help me to understand that my identity is not rooted in my past but in who I am in You. I am Your child, bought at a price, redeemed, and set free. Amen.
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    Prayers for God’s Mercy

    • Dear God, thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives; thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don’t thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you’ve given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you, and we need you this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
    • Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me and bringing me back into relationship with You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross to show us the true meaning of forgiveness. Help me to show that same forgiveness to others, so they can see You living in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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    Prayers for Peace

    • God of peace, whose stillness calms our hearts. Move in us to cease our arguments, end our conflicts, lay our weapons down, and broaden our tables so there’s room for our neighbors. Help us to see our common humanity. To hear their concerns, listen to their fears and worries. We shall find a way to live in this world together. Amen.
    • O God, who would fold both heaven and earth in a single peace: Let the design of your great love lighten upon the waste of our wraths and sorrows: and give peace to your Church, peace among nations, peace in our dwellings, and peace in our hearts: through your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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    Short Prayer to Forgive Others Father, please forgive me when I allow anger and bitterness to fill my heart because I refuse to forgive someone who has hurt me. Teach me how to lay down my rights and choose to forgive in the same way You have forgiven me.
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    Short Prayer to Forgive Yourself Father, Your Word says that through You, I am made new. All of the old mistakes I have made are gone, and I am made pure. In His name, amen.
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Pray for Forgiveness of Sins

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   Get in a comfortable position. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no “set position” you have to be in to pray. You can kneel, bow, stand, or walk—whatever feels best for you.
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   Speak to God directly. Think of praying like having a conversation with a pal, except the pal you’re talking to is God. Open your prayer with “Father,” “God,” or “Almighty God” to capture the Lord’s attention.

   • You can speak to God out loud or in your head. Either way, He’ll hear you.
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   Say what’s on your mind. Ask God for forgiveness of your sins and guidance on what’s troubling. Pour your heart out to Him—no matter is too small.

   • For example, you might say, “God, I’ve been stuck in the past lately and fear I’ve had an unforgiving heart. I struggle to see the good you instilled in people.”
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   Ask and thank God for forgiveness. When you repent your sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness. He is a merciful and loving ruler—He will forgive you. And when He does, thank Him for His forgiveness. Own up to your mistakes, and the Lord will offer you peace as long as you’re grateful.

   • For instance: “Lord, I ask for your forgiveness. What I did was wrong, and I’ve learned from my mistake. I vow to move on and continue in your footsteps, with your words as my guide.”
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   Include a verse or two. If you’re not sure what to say to the Lord or how to ask for forgiveness, turn to Scripture. Pray with a Bible verse that embodies your current feelings. Here are some verses about forgiveness you may find inspiring:

   • “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
   • “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him” (Daniel 9:9).
   • “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 5:20).
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   End your prayer with “Amen.” Close your conversation with the Lord with “Amen” or “In the name of Jesus, amen.” This lets God know that you respect and trust Him.
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Section 3 of 3:

Bible Verses About Forgiveness

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1. 
   Turn to the Bible to forgive and heal. The Lord’s word can bring you peace and heal your heart even in the toughest times. Whether you’re asking for forgiveness of your own sins or praying for forgiveness in someone else’s heart, these Bible verses can help give you strength:

   • “Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all” (Psalm 65:3).
   • “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Romans 12:17).
   • “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
   • “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).
   • “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
   • “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
   • “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
   • “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).
   • “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
   • “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).
   • “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).
   • “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
   • “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin!” (Psalm 51:1-2)
   • “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).
   • “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments” (Luke 23:34).

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