For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Parallel translations
- WEB For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”
- BSB For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”
- NKJV For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
- NASB “For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings, And their sins I will no longer remember.”
- NLT And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God promises in the new covenant to forgive sins fully and remember them no more. This assurance of complete pardon is the heart of the gospel.
Overview
Quoting Jeremiah 31:34, this verse climaxes the new-covenant promise that God will be merciful and blot out sins permanently. Unlike the old covenant's repeated sacrifices that reminded worshipers of sin, the new covenant secures lasting forgiveness. This is fulfilled in Christ, whose once-for-all sacrifice removes guilt and grants believers a clean conscience before God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Heb 10:16–17This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
- Isa 43:25I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
- Rom 11:27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
- Mic 7:19He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
- Acts 13:38–39Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
- 1 Jn 1:7–9But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
- Jer 33:8And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
- Eph 1:7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
- Jer 50:20In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
- 1 Jn 2:1–2My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
- Isa 44:22I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
- Col 1:14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
- Rev 1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
- Ps 25:7Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.
- Ps 65:3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 8:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.