Mark 11:25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This isn't just about forgiving someone after you've been hurt; it's a condition for God's forgiveness towards you. Jesus ties it directly to the Lord's Prayer, showing that when we ask God to forgive us as we forgive others, He's essentially saying, "Deal with it."
Jesus has just cursed a fig tree that bore no fruit, and the disciples marvel at its instantaneous withering. In response, Jesus emphasizes that true faith isn't just about expecting God to act powerfully on our behalf, but also about aligning our hearts with His, particularly through forgiveness. He stresses that to receive God's forgiveness, we must extend it to others, making it a vital condition for our prayers to be heard.
Ever felt like your prayers hit a ceiling? Jesus connects our ability to receive from God with our willingness to let go of grudges.
Jesus is incredibly direct here: if we want God to forgive us, we must forgive others.
The Divine Exchange
This isn't a suggestion; it's a condition for receiving God's forgiveness. Calvin highlights that God's pardon for our countless daily sins is on the strict condition that we extend forgiveness to those who've wronged us. To refuse forgiveness is to willingly close the door on God's mercy, essentially saying, 'God, deal with me strictly, because I'm dealing strictly with others.'
Guarding Against Vengeance
Commentators note that Jesus brings this up right after the dramatic cursing of the fig tree. It's a powerful reminder that even in moments of great faith and boldness in prayer, our hearts must be right. Our prayers shouldn't be fueled by hate or a desire for vengeance, but by a forgiving spirit. As Bengel points out, the believer ought not to curse their brother, even after witnessing Jesus' righteous judgment.
How you stand before God in prayer isn't just about your body—it's about the state of your heart.
The imagery of 'standing to pray' is significant. While kneeling or prostration were postures of deep humility or supplication, standing often conveyed confidence and boldness before God.
Confidence Rooted in Forgiveness
Bengel and others suggest that standing is the attitude of one praying with confidence. However, this confidence is only legitimate if it's paired with a forgiving heart. Meyer notes that Jesus links the necessity of forgiving to being heard in prayer, especially after demonstrating powerful faith (like the fig tree incident). This confidence in prayer isn't earned by our own merit, but by aligning our hearts with God's forgiving nature.
A Check Against Self-Righteousness
Understand the original words
aphiēmi · Greek Verb
To grant pardon or release from the debt/guilt of an offense, modeled on God’s grace toward the believer; it is a command for those who have been forgiven by God.
paraptōma · Greek Noun
Violations of God’s law or standard, often visualized as a "slipping" or "stepping aside" from the path of righteousness, requiring atonement or pardon.
This passage directly parallels Mark 11:25, emphasizing the reciprocal nature of forgiveness: God's forgiveness of us is conditional on our willingness to forgive others.
Luke 11:4In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches his disciples to ask, 'forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us,' echoing the same principle found in Mark.
Colossians 3:13Paul expands on this theme, urging believers to 'bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you,' showing this is a core aspect of Christian living.
Ephesians 4:32This verse highlights the root of forgiveness as God's own action towards us, stating, 'Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,' underscoring that our forgiveness is a response to His.
calvinMark 11:25-26: "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."
For if you shall forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But if you shall not forgive men their trespasses, neither will you Father forgive your trespasses.
And when ye shall stand praying, forgive, if you have any thing against any one, that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you…
cambridgeMark 11:25: "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."
25 . when ye stand praying ] The posture of prayer among the Jews seems to have been most often standing; comp. the instance of Hannah ( 1 Samuel 1:26 ), and of the Pharisee ( Luke 18:11 ). When the prayer was offered with especial solemnity and humiliation, this was naturally expressed by ( a ) kneeling; comp. the instance of Solomon ( 1 King…
This isn't just about forgiving someone after you've been hurt; it's a condition for God's forgiveness towards you. Jesus ties it directly to the Lord's Prayer, showing that when we ask God to forgive us as we forgive others, He's essentially saying, "Deal with it."
Jesus has just cursed a fig tree that bore no fruit, and the disciples marvel at its instantaneous withering. In response, Jesus emphasizes that true faith isn't just about expecting God to act powerfully on our behalf, but also about aligning our hearts with His, particularly through forgiveness. He stresses that to receive God's forgiveness, we must extend it to others, making it a vital condition for our prayers to be heard.
Jesus has just cursed a fig tree that bore no fruit, and the disciples marvel at its instantaneous withering. In response, Jesus emphasizes that true faith isn't just about expecting God to act powerfully on our behalf, but also about aligning our hearts with His, particularly through forgiveness. He stresses that to receive God's forgiveness, we must extend it to others, making it a vital condition for our prayers to be heard.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Mark 11:25 is available in the Sola app.
When we stand before God confidently, we must also acknowledge our own need for forgiveness. The commentators observe that Jesus is likely referencing the Sermon on the Mount, reminding His followers that their prayers—even those offered with great faith—are incomplete if they harbor resentment. Such an unforgiving attitude acts as a barrier, hindering the very faith that allows us to stand confidently.
"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”" — This isn't just about forgiving someone after you've been hurt; it's a condition for God's forgiveness towards you. Jesus ties it directly to the Lord's Prayer, showing that when we ask God to fo…
