Matthew 6:12 · Bible study
Matthew 6:12 Commentary: Forgiveness as Debt and Grace
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Matthew 6:12 and the link between divine forgiveness and our forgiveness of others.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Sin is a debt only God can cancel; we release others as evidence that we have been released.
- Key words: opheilēmata (debts, sins as obligations); aphiēmi (to release, send away, forgive).
- Main debate: Whether our forgiveness of others is a condition for divine forgiveness or its necessary fruit.
- Theological theme: Grace and ethics are inseparable, receiving mercy transforms how we treat others.
- Best use: Daily prayer, preparation for Communion, counseling those struggling with unforgiveness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
KJV King James Version 1769
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y perdónanos|strong="G0863, G2254" nuestras deudas, como también nosotros perdonamos á nuestros deudores.
E perdoa-nos nossas dívidas, assim como nós também perdoamos aos nossos devedores.
pardonne-nous nos offenses, comme nous aussi nous pardonnons à ceux qui nous ont offensés;
Und vergib uns unsere Schuld, wie wir unseren Schuldigern vergeben.
En vergeef ons onze schulden, gelijk ook wij vergeven onzen schuldenaren.
e rimettici i nostri debiti come anche noi li abbiamo rimessi ai nostri debitori;
I odpuść nam nasze winy, jako i my odpuszczamy naszym winowajcom;
и прости нам долги наши, как и мы прощаем должникам нашим;
免 我們的 債， 如同 我們 免了 人的債。
And make us free of our debts, as we have made those free who are in debt to us.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 6:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this petition pictures sin as a debt owed to God, and forgiveness as a release from that obligation. Gill notes that Jewish writers regularly called sins חובי ('debts'), and the Targum paraphrases Solomon's prayer as asking God 'to forgive their debts.' The Greek word opheilēmata carries this commercial imagery: something owed that must be paid. Clarke observes that man is 'absolutely insolvent' before God, so forgiveness can come only from free mercy in Christ.
On the human side, Vincent points out that the verb 'we forgive' (aphēkamen) is in the past tense (aorist) in the best manuscripts, giving the sense 'as we also have forgiven.' This suggests that Christ assumes his disciples have already released others before they ask for their own release. JFB and Calvin both insist that our forgiving others is not the ground of God's forgiveness but its evidence. As JFB puts it, 'no one can reasonably imagine himself to be the object of divine forgiveness who is deliberately and habitually unforgiving.' The prayer itself keeps the two acts in a single breath, divine and human forgiveness belong together.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Conditional view: Matthew 6:14-15 explicitly says 'if you forgive... your heavenly Father will also forgive you.' This suggests our forgiveness of others is a prerequisite for receiving God's forgiveness.
- Evidentiary view: The aorist tense 'we have forgiven' (Vincent) and commentators like Calvin and JFB argue that our forgiving others is not the cause but the proof that we have already been forgiven by grace.
- Both-and view: Many Christians hold simultaneously that divine forgiveness is free in Christ yet that unforgiveness can sever the experience of that forgiveness; the prayer holds both truths in tension.
What is clear: Christians of all traditions agree that the one who prays this petition must be sincerely willing to forgive others, and that divine and human forgiveness are inseparably linked in the life of a disciple.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'debts' | The word <em>opheilēmata</em> metaphorically describes sins as obligations that we cannot satisfy, leaving us debtors to divine justice. | Some traditions read this primarily as a metaphor for all sin; others emphasize that it specifically refers to the guilt that requires atonement through Christ's sacrifice. |
| Tense of 'we forgive' | The aorist indicative (<em>aphēkamen</em>) indicates a past action, showing that the speaker has already forgiven others before asking for personal forgiveness. | Some English translations render it as present ('we forgive') based on manuscript variations and liturgical use, while others keep the past tense ('we have forgiven') to reflect the Greek. |
| Relationship between human and divine forgiveness | Both divine forgiveness and human forgiveness are essential for the disciple; they are inseparably connected in the prayer and in Jesus' teaching. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions see human forgiveness as a condition that one must fulfill to receive absolution, often linked to sacramental confession. Protestant traditions generally view it as evidence that one has already been justified by grace, while still acknowledging that unforgiveness can block the experience of forgiveness. |
| The 'as' clause, comparison or cause? | The Greek <em>hōs</em> ('as') connects the two acts of forgiveness without specifying the exact logical relationship. | Some interpret it as a comparison ('in the same way'), while others see it as a causal or evidentiary link ('because we have forgiven'). The surrounding verses (6:14-15) are cited by those who emphasize a conditional relationship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Jewish culture, sin was commonly spoken of as a debt. The Targums (Aramaic paraphrases of Scripture) often render 'forgive' with the Aramaic word shebaq, which carries both the sense of releasing a financial obligation and pardoning a wrong. Gill cites a Talmudic paraphrase of Joseph's brothers asking for forgiveness: 'Forgive the debts of thy brethren.'
The Jewish prayer tradition included daily confession and appeals for forgiveness, particularly on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the people. Yet Jesus' prayer places forgiveness in a daily, intimate context, not just once a year but as regular as bread (the preceding petition). The Didache, an early Christian manual, instructs believers to pray the Lord's Prayer three times a day, showing that this request for forgiveness was understood as a repeated, ongoing need.
Jesus sets this petition within the Sermon on the Mount, where he has already addressed anger and reconciliation (Matthew 5:21-26). The warning in Matthew 5:25-26 to 'agree with your adversary quickly' uses the same debt-and-prison imagery, reinforcing that forgiveness is not optional for the disciple. Jewish tradition also preserved a maxim, noted by Clarke, that 'no man should lie down in his bed without forgiving those who had offended him.'
The surrounding context further shapes the petition. Matthew 6:14-15 immediately follows the prayer with an explicit conditional: 'If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.' This makes the link between human and divine forgiveness unavoidable, and it has generated the central interpretive question for this verse.
Textual Notes
The Greek text of Matthew 6:12 is stable across major manuscripts and early translations. The primary textual discussion involves the wording of the Lord's Prayer in Luke 11:2-4, where the petition reads 'forgive us our sins' rather than 'debts.' The difference reflects theological emphasis rather than a variant reading within Matthew itself. Some later manuscripts add the doxology ('For yours is the kingdom…') after verse 13, but this does not affect verse 12. The consulted sources note no significant variants for this verse.
Reception History
From the earliest centuries, this petition has been central to Christian worship and catechesis. The Didache (early 2nd century) instructs believers to recite the Lord's Prayer three times daily, embedding this request for forgiveness into the rhythm of ordinary life. Augustine of Hippo preached extensively on this verse, connecting it to the parable of the unforgiving servant and urging believers to examine their hearts before approaching the altar. In the medieval period, the petition shaped the penitential system and was recited during the Mass, often understood sacramentally. The Reformers (Luther, Calvin) emphasized the forensic aspect: sin as debt, forgiveness as legal release, while still insisting that a forgiving heart is the non-negotiable fruit of saving faith. Across all traditions, Matthew 6:12 has been used as a test of sincerity in prayer and a call to reconciliation before worship.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Sin is a debt we cannot pay. The word 'debts' (opheilēmata) reveals that our sin leaves us in moral insolvency before a holy God. Clarke writes that man 'has nothing to pay.' We do not ask God to help us repay; we ask him to cancel the debt entirely.
- Forgiveness is a release we receive from God. The verb aphiēmi means to send away, to dismiss. God does not hold our sins against us, he releases us from the obligation to satisfy his justice, on the basis of Christ's atoning work.
- Our forgiving others is the evidence that we have been forgiven. Vincent notes the aorist tense: 'we have forgiven' implies a completed action before we come to God. Jesus assumes that anyone who truly receives mercy will extend mercy.
Five-point outline
- Acknowledge the debt, we confess that we owe God more than we can pay.
- Ask for release, we appeal solely to God's mercy, not to any merit of our own.
- Examine our hearts, have we forgiven those who have wronged us?
- Forgive first, Jesus places the act of forgiving others before the request for our own forgiveness.
- Receive with gratitude, knowing we are forgiven frees us to forgive others repeatedly.
Illustration hooks
- A friend borrows money and cannot repay. The debt hangs over the relationship. When you cancel the debt, you release not only the obligation but also the resentment.
- You forgive a coworker for a cutting remark. Later that day you realize you still replay the comment in your mind. The prayer invites you to bring both the original hurt and your struggle to forgive into God's presence.
- A parent who has been deeply wounded by a grown child chooses to stop re-reading the letter of offense. Each morning they pray this petition and consciously release that debt again.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I have to forgive someone who has not apologized or who keeps hurting me?
- What if I want to forgive but the pain feels too fresh or the person is unrepentant?
- If God forgives conditionally, can I be sure I am forgiven when I still struggle with resentment?
Leading a Discussion
This petition is the hinge of the Lord's Prayer. Before we ask for daily bread, we have already asked for God's name to be hallowed and his kingdom to come, the big, cosmic hopes. Then suddenly we turn to the most personal and painful need: forgiveness. And immediately after, Jesus ties our forgiveness directly to the way we treat others. In this passage, theology and relationships meet.
Discussion questions
- Why does Jesus call sin a 'debt' instead of using words like 'sin' or 'transgression'? What does this image add to your understanding of forgiveness?
- Read the petition again slowly. Where is your attention drawn, to your own debt, or to your debtors? Why might Jesus include both in a single sentence?
- Vincent notes that the Greek verb 'we forgive' is in the past tense: 'as we also have forgiven.' How does that change the way you pray this petition?
- What is the difference between forgiving someone and letting go of a grudge? Are they the same thing?
- Matthew 6:14-15 seems to make God's forgiveness conditional on our forgiving others. How would you reconcile that with the free grace taught elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Ephesians 2:8-9)?
- Think of a person you find hard to forgive. What would it look like to pray this petition honestly while still holding that hurt? Can the prayer itself be a step toward forgiveness?
- How does this petition shape your view of confession, as a one-time event or a daily rhythm? What changes if you treat it as both?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 34:7 | keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.” |
| I Kings 8:30 | Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive. |
| I Kings 8:34 | then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers. |
| I Kings 8:39 | then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men); |
| I Kings 8:50 | and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them |
| Nehemiah 5:12 | Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise. |
| Nehemiah 5:13 | Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise. |
| Psalms 32:1 | By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the paradoxical economy of divine forgiveness: canceling our debt to justice only creates an infinite new debt to mercy. This keeps the forgiven person eternally dependent on God, yet that dependence is itself a union with the source of all goodness and happiness.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists the Lord's Prayer is a model for the manner of prayer, not a fixed form of words. He sees the plural "us" in the request for daily
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that asking for forgiveness is not just one item on a list but the necessary starting point of all prayer. Sin, he argues, blocks every approach to God, so no one can hope to be heard until they first obtain pardon. For him, calling sins “debts” underscores that they make us guilty and fully dependent on God’s mercy.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator highlights that the Greek aorist tense for "forgive" indicates an act of forgiveness on man's part must already be past before he asks God for it. The word "debts" pictures sins as unpaid obligations owed to God.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And forgiue vs our dettes, as we also forgiue our detters.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that sins are called debts because we owe satisfaction to God's justice, not because paying them would be right. Since we cannot pay this debt ourselves, the petition asks God to forgive us for Christ's sake. Our forgiving others is not the cause of God's forgiveness but an argument grounded in His promise to pardon those who show mercy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB insists that sin is more than an inward stain or guilty feeling; it is a real debt owed to God that must be cancelled from His record. Forgiving others does not earn God’s forgiveness, but an unforgiving spirit proves we have never truly received it ourselves.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats the Lord's Prayer as a pattern, not a rigid formula. He stresses that Christ gave it to guide what we pray for and how we order our requests, not to bind us to those exact words alone. Yet he also affirms its value as a set form, noting its long use by the church.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights that calling sin a "debt" pictures the sinner as a debtor who owes satisfaction, not just a wrongdoer. He draws a sharp contrast: the Christian prays for debts to be cancelled, while a pagan philosopher asked the gods to give him what was owed. The past tense "we have forgiven" assumes the petitioner has already released others.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley links the plea for forgiveness directly to the grace that enables forgiveness of others. He asks God to forgive sins through Christ's redemption exactly as God empowers the believer to freely and fully forgive every person. The capacity to forgive is itself a gift from God, and He forgives in proportion to that gift.