What does the Bible say about saying you are sorry?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• 1 John 1:9

  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

• Romans 3:23

  for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

• Matthew 7:7

  "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

• Acts 2:38

  Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• Matthew 5:1-48

  [1] Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. [2] He opened his mouth and taught them, saying, [3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [4] Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. [5] Blessed are the gentle, For they shall inherit the earth. [6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, For they shall be filled. [7] Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called children of God. [10] Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [11] "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [13] "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. [14] You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden. [15] Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. [16] Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. [17] "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. [18] For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. [19] Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. [20] For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. [21] "You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.' [22] But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. [23] "If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, [24] leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. [25] Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. [26] Most assuredly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny. [27] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;' [28] but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. [29] If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. [30] If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not your whole body be thrown into Gehenna. [31] "It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,' [32] but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. [33] "Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,' [34] but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; [35] nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. [36] Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black. [37] But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'no.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. [38] "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' [39] But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. [40] If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. [41] Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. [42] Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you. [43] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' [44] But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, [45] that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? [47] If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? [48] Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

• James 5:16

  Confess your offenses to one another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effective, earnest prayer of a righteous man is powerfully effective.

• John 3:16

  For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

• Jeremiah 29:11

  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.

• John 3:1-36

  [1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] The same came to him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him." [3] Jesus answered him, "Most assuredly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can't see the Kingdom of God." [4] Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" [5] Jesus answered, "Most assuredly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into the Kingdom of God! [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.' [8] The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." [9] Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?" [10] Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things? [11] Most assuredly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don't receive our witness. [12] If I told you earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. [14] As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. [16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. [17] For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. [18] He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. [19] This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. [21] But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God." [22] After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. [23] John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. [24] For John was not yet thrown into prison. [25] There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification. [26] They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him." [27] John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven. [28] You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.' [29] He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full. [30] He must increase, but I must decrease. [31] He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. [32] What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. [33] He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. [34] For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. [35] The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. [36] One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

• Matthew 3:8

  Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!

Related topics

• saying i love you
• saying goodbye
• sorry