Words of Absolution from Scripture

When you forgive someone who has offended you, remind yourself and the other person that the real source of forgiveness is found in Jesus Christ. "I forgive YOU, because God through Jesus has forgiven me and you."

God's Word is a means of grace that carries His authority. Comfort those you forgive by using direct quotes from Scripture, such as those listed below. Personalize the absolution by inserting the person's name in the verse. For example: "Shawn, Christ Himself bore your sins in His body on the tree, so that you might die to sins and live for righteousness; by Jesus' wounds, Shawn, you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:25).

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit" (Psalm 32:1‐2).

"The Lord declares, 'I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more'" (Jeremiah 31:34).

"Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand" (Romans 4:25‐52).

"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions‐it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith‐and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God‐not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:4‐9).

"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation‐if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel" (Colossians 1:21‐23).

"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8‐9). "The LORD has taken away your sin" (2 Samuel 12:13)