What the Bible Says About Love and Forgiveness

The Bible teaches that Christians love and forgive because God first loved and forgave them. Love, as 1 Corinthians 13 describes it, is patient and kind and doesn’t keep score. Forgiveness releases a debt someone owes you, and Jesus told Peter to keep releasing it without counting. Neither one means pretending harm didn’t happen or staying where you are unsafe.

Why does the Bible put love and forgiveness together?

Because both begin with God. John puts it in seven words: “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Christian love is a response to love already received, and forgiveness is what that love does when it has been wronged. Paul makes the connection plain:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Notice the order. Paul doesn’t say forgive so that God will accept you. He says forgive as God has already forgiven you, “for Christ’s sake,” on the basis of what Jesus has done. We pass on mercy we did nothing to earn.

What does 1 Corinthians 13 say love is?

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7

In the King James Version, “charity” means love, the Greek word agapē, not giving to the poor. You can trace each Greek word in Blue Letter Bible’s word study of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Paul wrote this to a church split by rivalries (1 Corinthians 1:10–12), so it describes love under pressure, not wedding-day feelings.

• Patience. Love “suffereth long,” staying patient with people who try you.
• Humility. Love “vaunteth not itself,” which means it doesn’t show off.
• Unselfishness. Love “seeketh not her own.” It isn’t always angling for its own way.
• No scorekeeping. Behind “thinketh no evil” is an accounting word in Greek, which is why many modern translations say love keeps no record of wrongs. Love doesn’t keep a ledger to use later.
• Truthfulness. “Beareth all things” sits next to “rejoiceth in the truth.” Love is patient, but it doesn’t cover up wrongdoing or call abuse acceptable.

Why did Jesus say to forgive seventy times seven?

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:21–22

Peter probably thought seven was generous. Some translations render Jesus’ answer as seventy-seven times, but either way the point is the same: stop counting. Jesus then told a parable about a servant forgiven a debt he could never repay, who went out and choked a fellow servant over a small one (the whole exchange is in Matthew 18:21–35, KJV). The king’s question lands on every reader: “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?” (Matthew 18:33).

Forgiveness in this parable means canceling a debt. You give up the right to make the other person pay. It doesn’t erase every consequence, and it doesn’t mean trust is restored overnight. Just before this, in Matthew 18:15–17, Jesus tells his followers to confront wrongdoing honestly, so truth-telling and forgiveness go together. If the hurt is fresh, the daily devotional on forgiveness is written for that moment.

How can I love my enemies?

Jesus made love for enemies practical. In Luke 6 it looks like doing, blessing, and praying:

• Luke 6:27–28 — “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” To “despitefully use” someone is to mistreat them. You can pray for someone’s good long before you feel warmly toward them, and you can do it from a safe distance.
• Luke 6:35–36 — “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” The reason is God’s own character. He is kind to people who never thank him, and his children start to resemble him.

Loving an enemy doesn’t mean giving up on justice. Paul tells believers not to take revenge because God will repay (Romans 12:19). Reporting a crime or asking for protection isn’t revenge. For more of Jesus’ own words on this, see Jesus quotes on love, mercy, and truth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will God not forgive me if I don’t forgive others?

Jesus said, “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15). He isn’t describing a way to earn mercy. He is saying a heart that has received mercy learns to give it, and a settled refusal to forgive shows we haven’t taken in what God has done. Struggling to forgive, and asking for help, is not the same as refusing.

Can you forgive someone and still not trust them?

Yes. Forgiveness is given, while trust is rebuilt over time through changed behavior. You can release someone from what they owe you and still keep limits on their access to your money, your home, or your children. If they have been harmful or dangerous, those limits are wise and loving, and they are not a sign that your forgiveness is incomplete.

What does “charity shall cover the multitude of sins” mean?

Peter wrote, “above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Love lets many small offenses go without keeping a list or broadcasting them. It doesn’t mean hiding abuse, crimes, or serious wrongs that others need protection from. Covering a friend’s rudeness is love; covering up harm is not.

What did Jesus say are the greatest commandments?

When asked, Jesus named two: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–39). He said the whole law hangs on these. Forgiveness belongs under both. Receiving God’s forgiveness draws us to love him, and passing it on is one of the clearest ways to love a neighbor who has wronged us.

What is the difference between love and forgiveness?

Love is the wider command: seeking another person’s good in every circumstance. Forgiveness is the specific thing love does after being wronged, when it releases the debt instead of collecting it. You can decide to forgive in a moment, though you may need to renew that decision many times. Love is usually shown slowly, through many ordinary choices over months and years.