BibleProject | The Lord's PrayerÀpẹrẹ

Forgive Us Our Debts

Today, we’re continuing to explore the second half of Jesus’ prayer, which focuses on human needs. We’ll take a closer look at Jesus’ request for forgiveness in verse 12.

“And forgive us our debts, just as we also have forgiven those indebted to us.”

Remember that Jesus is instructing people how to pray, and in verse 12, he teaches his followers to ask God to forgive their debts (sometimes translated “sins” or “trespasses”). Then Jesus immediately adds, “just as we also have forgiven those indebted to us.”

Jesus teaches us to combine this plea with a commitment. When we request forgiveness, we must be willing to forgive others as well. Notice how Jesus is giving instructions on how to pray and how to live in right relationships with others by choosing to forgive others’ debts.

But why does he say “debts?” In Jesus’ context, a debt metaphorically depicts times when we wrong others and owe them to make it right. It’s a relational debt, and in verses 14-15 of the prayer, Jesus expands the forgiveness idea by talking about forgiveness for the transgressions of others. Our English word “transgressions” (sometimes “trespasses”) translates the Greek word “paraptoma,” and its equivalent in the Hebrew Bible is the word “pesha,” which is about betraying a relationship.

To learn more about these words and their meaning in the Bible, watch the video below.

Jesus’ whole sermon focuses on how to wholeheartedly love God and others. And loving others includes forgiveness—it’s good for everyone involved and is necessary for healing and reconciliation. Refusing to forgive others of their wrongs suggests that we have not yet received or understood God’s forgiveness of our wrongs.

Now, let’s slowly read and meditate on the whole prayer, making it our own.

Matthew 6:9-15
9 Therefore, when you pray, do it this way:
Our Father who is in the skies, may your name be recognized as holy.
10 May your kingdom come, and may your will be done, as it is in the skies so also on the land.
11 Our daily provision of bread, give to us today.
12 And forgive us our debts, just as we also have forgiven those indebted to us.
13 And don’t lead us to be tested, but deliver us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive people their transgressions, your Father in the skies will also forgive you.
15 But if you will not forgive people, then neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

Reflection Question
Receiving forgiveness feels good, but offering forgiveness often feels difficult. When do you find it most challenging to forgive others?