Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, and decades later, with the power to punish them completely in his hands, he said something remarkable instead: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” Forgiveness runs through the whole of Scripture, not just a New Testament theme layered on top of an older, harsher story.
These thirty verses trace that thread from Genesis through the epistles, God’s forgiveness toward us and the forgiveness we’re asked to extend to others.
Read this as a whole story, not just a collection of isolated verses.
Prayer for Forgiveness in the Bible
1. Genesis 50:19-21 (KJV)
“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”
Prayer: Let me trust what was intended to harm me, You can intend for good, the way Joseph did.
Let this perspective actually change how I hold onto old wounds.
2. Exodus 34:6-7 (KJV)
“And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”
Prayer: You are compassionate and gracious, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.
Let this ancient description of You still be true for me today.
3. Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”
Prayer: Let me not seek revenge or bear a grudge, but love my neighbor as myself.
Let this ancient command actually shape how I treat the people who’ve hurt me.
4. Psalms 32:1-2 (KJV)
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
Prayer: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Let me actually feel blessed by this, not just informed of it.
5. Psalms 103:12 (KJV)
“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
Prayer: Remove my transgressions from me as far as the east is from the west.
Let this distance be real, not something I keep dragging back.
6. Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Prayer: Though my sins are like scarlet, let them be white as snow.
Let this exchange be complete, not partial.
7. Isaiah 43:25 (KJV)
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
Prayer: You blot out my transgressions for Your own sake, and remember my sins no more.
Let forgetting be real, not just a figure of speech.
8. Micah 7:18-19 (KJV)
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He 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.”
Prayer: Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and delights to show mercy?
Let me trust You actually delight in forgiving me.
9. Matthew 6:12 (KJV)
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Prayer: Forgive me my debts, as I forgive my debtors. Let both halves of that be true today.
Let me extend what I’m asking to receive.
10. Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Prayer: If I forgive others their sins, You will forgive mine. Let me not block my own peace by holding onto this.
Let unforgiveness not be what keeps me from Your forgiveness.
11. Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV)
“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.”
Prayer: Not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Let me forgive that many times if this relationship requires it.
Let my patience with forgiving not run out before Yours does.
12. Matthew 18:23-27 (KJV)
“Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.”
Prayer: Let me remember how much I’ve been forgiven before I refuse to forgive someone else’s smaller debt.
Let the size of what I’ve been forgiven put this in real perspective.
13. Luke 15:20 (KJV)
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”
Prayer: Let me run toward reconciliation the way that father ran toward his returning son.
Let me not wait for a perfect apology before extending grace.
14. Luke 23:34 (KJV)
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Prayer: Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing. Let me pray that over the people who’ve hurt me too.
Let this forgiveness reach even the people who don’t realize what they did.
15. Luke 17:3-4 (KJV)
“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”
Prayer: Let me forgive whenever someone repents, even if they come back to me many times in one day.
Let genuine repentance be met with genuine forgiveness, every time.
16. John 8:10-11 (KJV)
“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Prayer: Neither do I condemn you, You told her. Go now and leave your life of sin. Let me hear that same word.
Let freedom from condemnation lead to real change, not just relief.
17. Acts 13:38-39 (KJV)
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Prayer: Through You forgiveness of sins is proclaimed, and everyone who believes is set free.
Let this proclamation be as true for me as it was for the first people who heard it.
18. Romans 4:7-8 (KJV)
“Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
Prayer: Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered, whose sin the Lord will never count against them.
Let this never count against them be true for me too.
19. Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Prayer: Let me be kind and compassionate, forgiving each other, just as You forgave me.
Let forgiveness I extend match the forgiveness I’ve received.
20. Colossians 3:13 (KJV)
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Prayer: Let me bear with whoever wrongs me, and forgive as You forgave me.
Let grievances not outlast the day they happened.
21. 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Prayer: I confess this to You, trusting You are faithful and just to forgive and purify me.
Let confession lead to real freedom, not lingering shame.
22. Hebrews 8:12 (KJV)
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Prayer: You forgive wickedness and remember sins no more.
Let this be final, not something You keep bringing up.
23. Hebrews 10:17 (KJV)
“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
Prayer: Their sins and lawless acts You will remember no more. Let that be true for mine too.
Let this promise be as complete as it sounds.
24. James 5:15 (KJV)
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Prayer: Let the prayer offered in faith heal, and if sins have been committed, let them be forgiven.
Let healing and forgiveness travel together where they’re both needed.
25. Mark 2:5 (KJV)
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
Prayer: Son, your sins are forgiven, You said to the paralyzed man. Say that over me too.
Let forgiveness come before I even ask for physical healing.
26. Mark 11:25 (KJV)
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Prayer: When I stand praying, let me forgive whatever grievance I’m holding, so my Father may forgive me too.
Let prayer be the moment I actually let go of what I’m holding onto.
27. Psalms 130:3-4 (KJV)
“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
Prayer: If You kept a record of sins, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness.
Let reverence for You grow from this forgiveness, not fear of punishment.
28. Nehemiah 9:17 (KJV)
“And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.”
Prayer: You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
Let this whole description be what I actually experience today.
29. Daniel 9:9 (KJV)
“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;”
Prayer: You are merciful and forgiving, even though I have rebelled against You.
Let rebellion not disqualify me from the mercy You keep offering.
30. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Prayer: Let me humble myself and pray and seek Your face, and let You forgive and heal.
Let humility come before I even ask for forgiveness.
Conclusion
The same story keeps repeating from Genesis to Revelation: real wrong done, real forgiveness offered anyway. Joseph’s brothers deserved punishment. He gave them provision instead. That pattern was never new with the New Testament, it was there from the beginning.
Let this whole story shape how you extend forgiveness this week, not just how you receive it.
For the specific work of extending forgiveness to someone who hurt you, a prayer for forgiveness of others who hurt you goes deeper into that.