Matthew · Chapter 6 · Forgiveness
Matthew 6:14 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
What has been forgiven, you can forgive.
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About Matthew 6:14
Jesus said this immediately after teaching the Lord's Prayer — the only line from that prayer he stopped to explain. The teaching is unsettling. There appears to be a direct link between our forgiving of others and our being forgiven. Read alongside the rest of the New Testament, this is not a transactional earning of salvation but a reality check: the person who refuses to forgive shows by that refusal that they have not yet really understood what they have been forgiven. The verse is not asking you to manufacture warm feelings toward an enemy; it is asking you to release the debt you are holding, because you have been released from one infinitely larger.
Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."
KJV · King James Version
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."
In context
Matthew 6:14 in Matthew 6
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Matthew 6:14 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Matthew 6. Read the full chapter →
- v.12 Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
- v.13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’
- v.14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- v.15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
- v.16 “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.
Book background
About the Book of Matthew
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- Gospel
- Author
- Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle
- Date written
- c. 50–70 AD
- Audience
- Primarily Jewish Christians
- Chapters
- 28
Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). He repeatedly shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Great Commission (28:18-20) closes the book.
Setting: Written to demonstrate Jesus as Israel's promised Messianic King.
Key themes: kingdom of heaven · fulfillment · discipleship · authority · mission
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Matthew 6:14
Matthew 6:14 contains 14 words in 2 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
For if you forgive men their trespasses
FIYFMT
- 2
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
YHFWAF
Frequently asked
FAQ about Matthew 6:14
What does Matthew 6:14 say?
Matthew 6:14 reads: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." — from the New Testament, Matthew (Gospel). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Matthew 6:14 in?
Matthew 6:14 is in the book of Matthew, traditionally attributed to Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle and written around c. 50–70 AD. Matthew is gospel in the New Testament, originally addressed to Primarily Jewish Christians. Best known for the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.
What is Matthew 6:14 about?
Matthew 6:14 is primarily a Bible verse about Forgiveness. Within Matthew, Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Matthew 6:14 in WEB and KJV?
Matthew 6:14 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Matthew 6:14?
Matthew 6:14 is 14 words in the WEB translation (84 characters), broken into 2 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.
How can I memorise Matthew 6:14?
To memorise Matthew 6:14, split it into its 2 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Matthew 6:14 matter in Matthew?
Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). He repeatedly shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Great Commission (28:18-20) closes the book. Matthew 6:14 sits within this larger story — Matthew as a whole emphasises kingdom of heaven, fulfillment, discipleship.
How can I apply Matthew 6:14 today?
Many readers use Matthew 6:14 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Matthew 6:14 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
Read context →
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Read context →
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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.”
Read context →
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2 Chronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will fo…”
Read context →
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Matthew 5:44
“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,”
Read context →
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
Read context →
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1 Peter 4:8
“And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
Read context →
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Psalms 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”
Read context →
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Psalms 103:12
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Read context →
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Romans 3:23
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
Read context →
More featured verses in Matthew 6
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Matthew 6:9
“Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
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Matthew 6:25
“Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more…”
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Matthew 6:26
“See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value…”
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Matthew 6:33
“But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”
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More featured verses in Matthew
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Matthew 11:28
““Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”
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Matthew 7:7
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
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Matthew 22:39
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
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Matthew 5:44
“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,”
Read context →