But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
- KJV But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
- NASB [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your offenses.”]
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
Quick answer
Jesus warns that refusing to forgive others means the Father will not forgive our transgressions.
Overview
This solemn warning underscores that an unforgiving heart is incompatible with receiving God's pardon. It does not teach that we earn forgiveness, but that genuine faith in a forgiving God produces a forgiving spirit. (Some early manuscripts omit this verse, but its truth is firmly taught elsewhere, as in Matthew 6:15.)
Cross-references & the web
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Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 11:26 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.