Please enjoy this list of forgiveness quotes. I hope you’ll find inspiration to live a more peaceful life. And please never forget: we all make mistakes.
Tell them you still love them, and they will get the message. Yoko Ono
It is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned. Francis of Assisi
Weak people revenge. Strong people forgive. Intelligent people ignore. Albert Einstein
To understand everything is to forgive everything. Osho
A noble spirit finds a cure for injustice in forgetting it. Publius Syrus
Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace. Buddha
If you cannot forgive yourself, you cannot forgive others. D. Muthukrishnan
Forgiveness is man’s deepest need and highest achievement. Horace Bushnell
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. Confucius
Love the sinner and hate the sin. Augustine of Hippo
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The simple truth is, we all make mistakes, and we all need forgiveness. Desmond Tutu
The highest result of education is tolerance. Helen Keller
I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him. Booker T. Washington
If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. Bob Hope
Your ego is not ready to forgive but your soul is. Maxime Lagacé
Related quotes and topics: attitude, ego, inner peace
The Best Forgiveness Quotes
Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace. Mel Robbins Click to tweet
If you want to see the brave, look to those who can return love for hatred. If you want to see the heroic, look to those who can forgive. Bhagavad Gita
It is for God to punish wicked people; we should learn to forgive. Emily Brontë
The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves. Eric Hoffer
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Martin Luther King Jr
I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become. Unknown
Can you hate someone for what they have done, but still love them for whom they had been? Jodi Picoult (Sing You Home)
Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it forever. Lord Chesterfield
Forgetting is the only revenge and the only forgiveness. Jorge Luis Borges Click to tweet
The only thing evil can’t stand is forgiveness. Fred Rogers Click to tweet
You either get bitter or you get better. It’s that simple. You either take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to tear you down. Josh Shipp
Any fool knows men and women think differently at times, but the biggest difference is this. Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget. Robert Jordan
Without forgetting it is quite impossible to live at all. Friedrich Nietzsche
The more you know yourself, the more you will forgive others. @TheStoicEmperor
Do not waste your life taking revenge on the shadows of those you cannot forget or forgive. Accept. Endure. @TheStoicEmperor
Let no man pull you low enough to hate him. Martin Luther King Jr
There is great freedom in not needing to await the forgiveness of another. Kapil Gupta
While revenge weakens society, forgiveness gives it strength. 14th Dalai Lama
Until we can forgive, we remain locked in our pain and locked out of the possibility of experiencing healing and freedom, locked out of the possibility of being at peace. Desmond Tutu
We should learn to accommodate ourselves to “wrongness”, striving always to adopt a more forgiving, humorous and kindly perspective on its multiple examples in ourselves and in our partners. Alain de Botton (Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person)
It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody. Maya Angelou
Happiness is a choice. Forgiveness is a choice. Acceptance, anger, desire, love…all choices. Your time. Your choice. Scott Shaw
As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely. Madame de Stael
Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself. Marcus Aurelius
What Is Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is just another name for freedom. Byron Katie
Forgiveness is the answer. Maya Angelou
Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. Suzanne Somers
To forgive is to understand the origins of evil and cruelty. Alain de Botton
Forgiveness is a prerequisite to peace. Make the decision to let go of pain and refuse to be jaded by negative experiences. Brenden Dilley
Forgiveness is simply about understanding that every one of us is both inherently good and inherently flawed. Desmond Tutu
Forgiveness means it finally becomes unimportant that you hit back. Anne Lamott
Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave. Indira Gandhi
See also: How To Forgive (YouTube video by The School Of Life)
Part 2. Forgiveness Quotes That Are…
The Most Famous Forgiveness Quotes
Searching for a famous forgiveness quote? Check out those by Shakespeare, Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, etc.
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi Click to tweet
Love truth, but pardon error. Voltaire
Without forgiveness, there’s no future. Desmond Tutu
If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive. Mother Teresa
Forgiveness is choosing to love. It is the first skill of self-giving love. Mahatma Gandhi
Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude. Martin Luther King Jr
We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. Martin Luther King Jr
Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much. Oscar Wilde Click to tweet
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. Mark Twain
Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different, it’s accepting the past for what it was, and using this moment and this time to help yourself move forward. Oprah Winfrey
True forgiveness is when you can say, “Thank you for that experience”. Oprah Winfrey
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. John F. Kennedy
Let the brain go to work, let it meet the heart and you will be able to forgive. Maya Angelou
Compassion and love are the source of all spiritual qualities: forgiveness, tolerance, all the virtues. 14th Dalai Lama
All major religious traditions carry basically the same message; that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives. 14th Dalai Lama
I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice. Abraham Lincoln
Forget, forgive; conclude, and be agreed. William Shakespeare
Short Forgiveness Quotes
One-liners, short forgiveness quotes, sayings, thoughts and captions for your bio, social status, self-talk, motto, mantra, signs, posters, wallpapers, backgrounds.
To err is human; to forgive, divine. Alexander Pope Click to tweet</a
Forgotten is forgiven. F. Scott Fitzgerald
Be you. Do you. For you. Wesley Snipes
Forgive and it relieves you. Maya Angelou
We are all in need of mercy. Unknown
What I cannot love, I overlook. Anais Nin
Forgiveness is an act of self-love. Don Miguel Ruiz
Let it hurt. Let it heal. Let it go. Unknown
Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. Isaac Friedmann
Those who understand evil pardon it. George Bernard Shaw Click to tweet
Hating someone makes them important. Forgiving them makes them obsolete. Unknown
Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge. William Shakespeare
We pardon to the extent that we love. François de La Rochefoucauld
Forgiveness is, truly, all or nothing. Ranal Currie
The mind cannot forgive. Only you can. Eckhart Tolle
Choose to forgive and free your heart. Desmond Tutu
Forgive them even if they are not sorry. Julian Casablancas
There are difficult things about you too. Alain de Botton
I remember everything but forgive anyway. Erica Jong
To forgive is wisdom, to forget is genius. Joyce Cary
When one forgives, two souls are set free. Unknown
Forgive and forget. Not revenge and regret. Unknown
There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness. Josh Billings
You’re a slave to everyone you haven’t forgiven. Lawrence King
Tolerance is the only real test of civilization. Arthur Helps
Let go, release, give up, stop resisting, forgive. Maxime Lagacé
Your past is over; it cannot touch you. Forgive all involved, including yourself. Marianne Williamson
Inspirational Forgiveness Quotes
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. Paul Boese Click to tweet
An apology is the super glue of life. It can repair just about anything. Lynn Johnston
How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. Wayne Dyer
Kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, forgive quickly. Paulo Coelho
Every one of us has the capacity to love, to forgive, to understand, and to be compassionate. Thich Nhat Hanh
If we can forgive what’s been done to us… If we can forgive what we’ve done to others… If we can leave our stories behind. Our being victims and villains. Only then can we maybe rescue the world. Chuck Palahniuk
Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were. Cherie Carter-Scott
Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. Hannah Arendt
Forgiveness isn’t just the absence of anger. I think it’s also the presence of self-love, when you actually begin to value yourself. Tara Westover
The cruel always believe the kind are weak. But human decency and goodness can also move human affairs. David Frum
Memories are heavy. Those who truly want to fly forgive. Maxime Lagacé
The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world. Marianne Williamson
When we can recognize and forgive ignorant actions of the past, we gain the strength to constructively solve the problems of the present. 14th Dalai Lama
When I talk of forgiveness I mean the belief that you can come out the other side a better person. A better person than the one being consumed by anger and hatred. Desmond Tutu
There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness. John Connolly
Forgiveness is a reflection of loving yourself enough to move on. Steve Maraboli Click to tweet
On the whole, my impression is that mercy bears richer fruits than any other attribute. Abraham Lincoln
Strive to be first: first to nod, first to smile, first to compliment, and first to forgive. Rhonda Byrne
Forgiveness is the only thing that cleans the slate, dissolving the old so the new can come in. Marianne Williamson
To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless. G.K. Chesterton
Forgiveness isn’t approving what happened. It’s choosing to rise above it. Robin Sharma
Want more inspiring quotes? Please check out Quotes About Strength That Will Make You Tougher or Positive Quotes That Will Make Your Day Wonderful
See also: How to Forgive Someone When It’s Hard: 30 Tips to Let Go of Anger (tinybuddha.com)
Funny Forgiveness Quotes
Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them? Abraham Lincoln Click to tweet
Everyone says that forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive. C. S. Lewis
You may eventually forgive and befriend someone who harmed you, never someone who bored you. Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius. Oscar Wilde
It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission. Grace Hopper
It’s far easier to forgive an enemy after you’ve got even with him. Olin Millerà
Deep Forgiveness Sayings
A life lived without forgiveness is a prison. William Arthur Ward Click to tweet
You too are a deeply imperfect and questionable individual. Alain de Botton
Nobody forgets where he buried the hatchet. Frank McKinney
We are all serving a life sentence, and good behavior is our only hope for a pardon. Douglas Horton
It’s always like this, her life a pendulum between forgiveness and regret. Edwidge Danticat
Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past. Anne Lamott
Until we have seen someone’s darkness, we don’t really know who they are. Until we have forgiven someone’s darkness, we don’t really know what love is. Marianne Williamson
The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward. Steve Maraboli
People will forgive you for being wrong, but they will never forgive you for being right – especially if events prove you right while proving them wrong. Thomas Sowell
It is very easy to forgive others their mistakes; it takes more grit and gumption to forgive them for having witnessed your own. Jessamyn West
Yes, this is what good is: to forgive evil. There is no other good. Antonio Porchia
I can’t forget but I can be at peace with it. Maxime Lagacé
What we forgive too freely doesn’t stay forgiven. Mignon McLaughlin
There’s no point in burying a hatchet if you’re going to put up a marker on the site. Sydney Harris
Those who say they will forgive but can’t forget, simply bury the hatchet but leave the handle out for immediate use. Dwight L. Moody
Forgiveness in no way requires that you trust the one you forgive. William P. Young Click to tweet
Forgiveness is the way we stop our human community from unraveling. Desmond Tutu
Forgiveness does not relieve someone of responsibility for what they have done. Forgiveness does not erase accountability. It is not about turning a blind eye or even turning the other cheek. Desmond Tutu
There are times when all of us have been thoughtless, selfish or cruel. But no act is unforgivable; no person is beyond redemption. Desmond Tutu
If you can find it in yourself to forgive, then you are no longer chained to the perpetrator. Desmond Tutu
They caused the first wound, but you are causing the rest; this is what not forgiving does. They got it started, but you keep it going. Forgive and let it go, or it will eat you alive. You think they made you feel this way, but when you won’t forgive, you are the one inflicting the pain on yourself. Bryant McGill
Truth can be told in an instant, forgiveness can be offered spontaneously, but reconciliation is the work of lifetimes and generations. Krista Tippett
Forgiveness isn’t where we think someone else was a jerk but we’re so spiritual now that we deign to pardon them. Forgiveness means we extend our perception beyond the level of guilt and recognize the internal innocence within us all. Marianne Williamson
You teach people how to treat you by what you let them get away with. James Clear
Pardon one offence, and you encourage the commission of many. Publilius Syrus
The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive. John Green
Related article: Deep Quotes That Will Make You Think (In New Ways)
See also: How Do You Forgive Even When It Feels Impossible? (Part 1), Part 2 (psychologytoday.com)
Wise Forgiveness Sayings
To understand all is to forgive all. French proverb Click to tweet
Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, those are life-altering lessons. Jessica Lange
He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass. George Herbert
People who successfully insult you take ownership of your time and energy, hijacking your mood and schedule. “Letting things go” isn’t just about sweet forgiveness. It’s about conserving your energy and attention for the things that matter. @TheStoicEmperor
Forgive. It doesn’t erase their crime but why should you do the time. Let go of resentment. Dodinsky
Choosing to hate is proving your inferiority. Maxime Lagacé
Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. C.S. Lewis
The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget. Thomas Szasz
The more you know yourself, the more you will forgive others. @TheStoicEmperor Click to tweet
In the end, you realize that it was never personal. It was just people acting in their own best interests and you were collateral damage. This doesn’t make it right, but realizing that you weren’t really a specific target is the first step to forgiveness. Ed Latimore
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. Louis B. Smedes
The only stream that can wash away the pain of unjust acts is the sweet water of loving-kindness and compassion. Thich Nhat Hanh
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity. Francis Maitland Balfour
Forgiveness is an act of letting go. To forgive is to begin to rid yourself of attachment to that which you cannot change. @DailyZen
Forgiveness doesn’t mean you continue to associate with someone. It doesn’t mean you expect them to change. It means that the wrongs they’ve committed against you no longer take up space in your heart. Ed Latimore
People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right. J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter)
Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting. William Arthur Ward
Men build too many walls and not enough bridges. Joseph Fort Newton
Related article: Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)
Part 3. Forgiveness Quotes About…
Quotes About Apologies, Asking For Forgiveness
A real apology is admitting how exactly you f*cked up and how exactly you’re going to fix it. Carlos Del Valle Click to tweet
It is not easy to admit one’s wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. “I am sorry” are perhaps the three hardest words to say. Desmond Tutu
Play hard, forgive quickly, apologize when you are wrong, take chances, and have no regrets. Paulo Coelho
Be strong enough to forgive without hearing an apology. Paulo Coelho
The closer you are to someone, the harder it is to apologize. Maxime Lagacé
When you apologize, you’re not putting yourself down. You’re expressing concern for how your actions affect others. Don’t be sorry for saying sorry. Being quick to apologize is a sign of empathy. Adam Grant
Part 1. When we are willing to let down our defences and look honestly at our actions, we find there is a great freedom in asking for forgiveness and great strength in admitting the wrong. Desmond Tutu
Part 2. It is how we free ourselves from our past errors. It is how we are able to move forward into our future, unfettered by the mistakes we have made. Desmond Tutu
Never forget the nine most important words of any family – “I love you”. “You are beautiful”. “Please forgive me”. H. Jackson Brown Jr
In this life, when you deny someone an apology, you will remember it at time you beg forgiveness. Toba Beta
Apologizing does not always mean you’re wrong and the other person is right. It just means you value your relationship more than your ego. Mark Matthews
Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got. Robert Brault
Never ruin an apology with an excuse. Benjamin Franklin
An apology without change is just manipulation. Mel Robbins Click to tweet
The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is the happiest. Unknown
Quotes About Self-Forgiveness
How unhappy is he who cannot forgive himself. Publilius Syrus Click to tweet
Be thankful for your life, and forgive everybody, including yourself. Yoko Ono
Forgive yourself. Whatever you’re holding onto or carrying around from the past – let it go. Mel Robbins
Do as the heavens have done, forget your evil; With them forgive yourself. William Shakespare
The more you know yourself, the more you forgive yourself. Confucius
Repentance is another name for aspiration. Henry Ward Beecher
Don’t waste time scratching the itch. Maxime Lagacé
The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise. Alden Nowlan
The reasons for forgiving ourselves are the same as for forgiving others. It is how we become free of the past. Desmond Tutu
All forgiveness is self-forgiveness. William Desmond Click to tweet
You were born to be real not to be perfect. You are here to be you, not to live someone else’s life. Ralph Marston
You are just human. Being imperfect does not make you any less. Kartika Atmadja
Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order. Anne Wilson Schaef
Your imperfections are marks of authenticity and that is the beauty of you. Isaac Fowler
All children should be taught to unconditionally accept, approve, admire, appreciate, forgive, trust, and ultimately, love their own person. Asa Don Brown
Your past is a lesson… not a life sentence. Forgive yourself and focus on the future. Mel Robbins
I cling to my imperfection as the very essence of my being. Anatole France
There is a kind of beauty in imperfection. Conrad Hall
Imperfection is a form of freedom. Anh Ngo
Related topics: solitude, silence
See also: How to Forgive Yourself (healthline.com)
Forgiveness Quotes About Religion, Bible, God, Jesus, Spirituality, Prayer
I pardon him, as God shall pardon me. William Shakespeare Click to tweet
Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Garrison Keillor
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
In the shadow of my hurt, forgiveness feels like a decision to reward my enemy. But in the shadow of the cross, forgiveness is merely a gift from one undeserving soul to the next. Andy Stanley
To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. C.S. Lewis
Become more accepting. With every interaction, surrender any tendency to judge another person. Pray for a more accepting heart. Marianne Williamson
If I choose to bless another person, I will always end up feeling more blessed. Marianne Williamson
I firmly believe a great many prayers are not answered because we are not willing to forgive someone. Dwight L. Moody
When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God’s light shines upon you. Jon Krakauer (Into the Wild)
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon. Francis of Assis
Related topic: spiritual
Part 4. Conclusion
Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. Ralph Waldo Emerson Click to tweet
Call to action: Check out this great resource on forgiveness by psychologytoday.com. You’ll find more information on what is forgiveness, how to forgive someone, how to forgive yourself, articles, and more.
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Table Of Contents
Part 1
Top 15 Images
Best Quotes
What Is Forgiveness?
Part 2
Forgiveness Quotes That ARE
Famous
Short
Inspirational
Funny
Deep
Wise
Part 3
Forgiveness Quotes ABOUT
Apologies
Self-Forgiveness
Religion
Part 4
Conclusion