Matthew 6:14 · Bible study
Matthew 6:14 Commentary: Forgiveness as the Key to Being Forgiven
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus ties our forgiveness of others to God forgiving us. What does this conditional promise mean for grace, prayer, and the heart of the Christian life?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Forgiving others is a genuine condition for receiving God's forgiveness, not a work that earns it.
- Key words: παραπτώματα (trespasses), deliberate, guilty sin; ἀφιέναι (forgive), to release, let go.
- Main debate: Whether this condition refers to initial salvation or to experiencing ongoing forgiveness and fellowship.
- Theological theme: Grace and human response, forgiveness received must be forgiveness given.
- Best use: A pastoral tool for teaching the necessity of forgiveness and for helping people examine their hearts.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
KJV King James Version 1769
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`For, if ye may forgive men their trespasses He also will forgive you--your Father who is in the heavens;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For if ye forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father also will forgive you [yours],
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque si perdonareis á los hombres sus ofensas, os perdonará también á vosotros vuestro Padre celestial.
Porque se perdoardes às pessoas suas ofensas, vosso Pai celestial também vos perdoará;
Si vous pardonnez aux hommes leurs offenses, votre Père céleste vous pardonnera aussi;
Denn so ihr den Menschen ihre Fehler vergebet, so wird euch euer himmlischer Vater auch vergeben,
Want indien gij den mensen hun misdaden vergeeft, zo zal uw hemelse Vader ook u vergeven.
Poiché se voi perdonate agli uomini i loro falli, il Padre vostro celeste perdonerà anche a voi;
Bo jeźli odpuścicie ludziom upadki ich, odpuści i wam Ojciec wasz niebieski;
Ибо если вы будете прощать людям согрешения их, то простит и вам Отец ваш Небесный,
「 你們饒恕 人 的 過犯，你們的 天 父 也 必饒恕 你們的過犯；
For if you let men have forgiveness for their sins, you will have forgiveness from your Father in heaven.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 6:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse presents a genuine condition: forgiving others is necessary for receiving God's forgiveness. Yet they also stress that our forgiving does not earn divine pardon. Gill states plainly that forgiving others 'is not the procuring cause of forgiveness with God, which is the blood of Christ', the ground of forgiveness is grace alone. Calvin sees the condition as a means to soften hearts, reminding us of our own daily need for mercy. Barnes insists that if we refuse to forgive, God will not forgive us. The consensus is that releasing others from their debts shows we have been released from our own debt. It is a fruit of grace received, not a payment to obtain it.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: All Christians agree that this verse teaches the necessity of forgiving others in order to receive God's forgiveness, while affirming that forgiveness is ultimately grounded in Christ's atoning work.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| How forgiveness of others relates to salvation | Forgiveness of others is necessary for receiving God's forgiveness; it is a real condition taught by Jesus. | Some traditions see it as a condition that can forfeit salvation if unforgiven sin persists, while others see it as a sign of genuine faith that does not earn or lose salvation but blocks the experience of grace. |
| Meaning of 'trespasses' (παραπτώματα) in this context | It refers to sins committed against us, including deliberate offenses. | Some argue it implies more serious, willful sin; others see it as equivalent to 'debts' and 'sins' without a sharp distinction. |
| Does this verse apply only to prayer? | It is placed in the context of prayer (Lord's Prayer), so it directly applies to how we pray for forgiveness. | Some restrict it to prayer contexts; others see it as a universal principle for all human relationships. |
| Assurance of forgiveness for an unforgiving Christian | An unforgiving attitude is a serious sin that displeases God. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions speak of mortal sin affecting the state of grace; Protestant traditions vary, with some saying it may indicate a lack of saving faith, while others say it breaks fellowship but not the relationship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Judaism, forgiveness was often limited, some rabbis taught that you forgive someone three times, but no more. Grudges were common, and many saw revenge as a virtue. Jesus' teaching here follows the Lord's Prayer, where the petition 'forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors' already links divine and human forgiveness. The Sermon on the Mount as a whole contrasts external piety (alms, prayer, fasting done for show) with inward transformation. The Pharisees made a show of righteousness, but Jesus redirects attention to the heart.
This verse zeroes in on the hardest test of interior faith: releasing those who have wronged us. The word for 'trespasses' (παραπτώματα) carries the sense of deliberate falls or reckless sins (Vincent). It was not a soft term, it meant conscious violations that brought guilt. By using this word, Jesus included even serious offenses, not just minor slights. His hearers, trained in limited forgiveness, would have felt the weight. The context of prayer (the Lord's Prayer ends at verse 13) makes the point personal: you cannot stand before God asking for mercy while clutching a grudge. Early church practice took this so seriously that catechumens were taught to forgive others before receiving the Eucharist.
Lange's commentary notes that the three great forms of piety, alms, prayer, and fasting, were abused by the Pharisees. Jesus restores them by rooting them in the Father who 'sees in secret.' Forgiveness, though not listed as one of the three, becomes the proof that all three are genuine. A person who fasts and prays but refuses to forgive has missed the point entirely.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 6:14. The Greek text is stable across manuscripts. Some late manuscripts add 'your heavenly Father will also forgive you' with minor word order differences, but nothing that changes the meaning.
Reception History
This verse has been central to Christian teaching on forgiveness. Early church fathers like Tertullian and Origen used it to argue for the necessity of forgiving others before receiving the Eucharist. In the Reformation, Calvin and others stressed that God's forgiveness precedes our forgiving, yet our forgiveness of others is a necessary evidence of having received grace. The seventeenth-century commentator Matthew Henry saw it as 'the reason why that condition was added' to the Lord's Prayer. In modern times, the verse has been widely cited in discussions about reconciliation and the psychological benefits of forgiveness, often separated from its original grace-centered context. Across traditions, it remains a sobering reminder that unforgiveness can choke the experience of God's mercy.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Condition: Forgiving Others (v.14a), Jesus directly links our forgiveness of others to God's forgiveness of us. The word 'trespasses' (paraptōmata) covers deliberate sins, not just accidents. This is not optional advice; it is a command.
- The Promise: God's Forgiveness (v.14b), The guarantee: 'your heavenly Father will also forgive you.' This is a promise attached to a condition, anchored in the Father's character.
- The Warning: Unforgiveness Blocks Forgiveness (verse 15), The negative parallel makes it clear. Refusing to forgive stops the flow of God's pardon. This is not a threat to scare, but a diagnosis of an unreleased heart.
Five-point outline
- Forgiveness is part of prayer, The verse comes immediately after the Lord's Prayer. Prayer and forgiveness are intertwined.
- Forgiveness must be from the heart, Cross-reference Matthew 18:35: 'from your hearts.' Outward words are not enough.
- Forgiveness is not optional, It is a condition, as binding as any other part of Jesus' teaching.
- Forgiveness does not earn grace, Gill warns it is not the 'procuring cause.' God's forgiveness is always a gift in Christ.
- Unforgiveness blocks experience of grace, The warning is not that you lose salvation, but that you cut yourself off from the comfort of God's pardon.
Illustration hooks
- A couple where one spouse betrayed the other, and the betrayed spouse feels the weight of whether to forgive or hold onto the pain. The text asks: which posture opens the door to healing?
- A church conflict where two members have been at odds for years. The pastor gently points to this verse and asks: is the fight worth blocking God's forgiveness in your own life?
- A parent whose child caused serious harm. The struggle to forgive is real, this verse does not minimize the pain but calls for a heart that releases the debt.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I have to forgive someone who has not said sorry?, Many think forgiveness requires repentance; Jesus often gives no such condition.
- If I am saved by grace, why does Jesus make forgiveness conditional?, This feels like works to some. The answer: forgiveness of others proves we have truly received grace.
- What if I cannot forgive, but I want to?, This verse shows the stakes; the church needs to help people work through pain, not just command them to 'get over it.'
Leading a Discussion
Jesus ties God's forgiveness directly to our willingness to forgive others. This is not a small thing, it is a core test of whether we have understood the grace we received. As a group, slow down. Do not rush to application. First, let the text challenge you. Then, discuss how this fits with grace.
Discussion questions
- Read Matthew 6:14-15 aloud. What stands out to you about the way Jesus frames forgiveness?
- The word for 'trespasses' (paraptōmata) means deliberate, guilty sins. Why do you think Jesus chose this word over a softer one?
- How does this verse connect to the petition 'forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors' in verse 12?
- Some people feel that requiring us to forgive others before God forgives us sounds like earning salvation. How does Gill's comment (forgiving others 'is not the procuring cause of forgiveness') help? How does it not?
- Cross-reference: Matthew 18:21-35, Ephesians 4:32. How do other passages in the New Testament describe the relationship between our forgiving and God's forgiveness?
- What is the hardest situation in your life right now where this verse applies? Share as you feel comfortable.
- How can your small group support each other in forgiveness that is real, not fake or forced?
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)
| Proverbs 21:13 | Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard. |
| Matthew 6:12 | Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. |
| Matthew 7:2 | For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. |
| Matthew 18:21 | Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” |
| Matthew 18:35 | So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.” |
| Mark 11:25 | Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. |
| Ephesians 4:32 | And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. |
| Colossians 3:13 | bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that forgiveness is not simply a casual pardon but a permanent, heartfelt release of the offense. When someone asks, we must forgive fully, but even without a request, we must still treat them kindly, hold no malice, and remain ready to declare forgiveness. Refusing this readiness means God will not forgive us.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the condition "forgive us as we forgive" is not arbitrary but a deliberate test of our readiness. Refusing to forgive others is a willful choice to block God's pardon and bring ruin on oneself, since God only grants forgiveness to those who extend it to others.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
For if ye doe forgiue men their trespasses, your heauenly Father will also forgiue you.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that forgiving others does not earn God's forgiveness, which comes solely through Christ's blood and grace. Rather, a forgiving heart marks those to whom God gives a joyful sense of pardon. He adds that this forgiveness must be full and free, given even without repentance or apology.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
For if ye forgive men, &c.—See on Mt 6:12 .
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange contrasts Pharisaic hypocrisy with genuine piety by emphasizing that true righteousness deliberately hides its good works. The believer gives, prays, and fasts in secret, seeking only the Father's approval rather than human praise, because the heart of Christian devotion is directed toward God who sees in secret.
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 draws a sharp distinction between "trespasses" and other biblical terms for sin. The Greek word implies a reckless, willful fall, not a mere mistake or accidental slip. It carries a sense of personal guilt and conscious wrongdoing, which is why it appears so often in passages about forgiveness and the consequences of sin.