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For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Verse Takeaways
1
A Non-Negotiable Condition
Commentators unanimously stress that forgiving others is not an optional suggestion but a divine condition. Scholars like Spurgeon and Calvin explain that a person who refuses to forgive is effectively refusing to be forgiven by God. This verse establishes an unbreakable link between our mercy toward others and God's mercy toward us.
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Matthew
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11
18th Century
Presbyterian
If you forgive—if you pardon.
Trespasses. Offences, faults. If you forgive others when they offend or injure you, this is …
Trespasses (παραπτωματα). This is no part of the Model Prayer. The word "trespass" is literally "falling to one side," a lapse or …
19th Century
Anglican
The condition implied in the Prayer itself is asserted more distinctly. As we have seen, it is not an arbitrary condition but the result of the ete…
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Baptist
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will yo…
These verses reinforce the thought of the fifth petition (see comment on v.12). The repetition serves to stress the deep importance for the communi…
16th Century
Protestant
Here Christ only explains the reason why that condition was added: Forgive us, as we forgive. The reason is that God will not be ready to …
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
For if you forgive men their trespasses Christ here refers to the petition in (Matthew 6:12) which is en…
Christ saw it necessary to show His disciples what must commonly be the subject and method of their prayer. Not that we are restricted to the use o…
13th Century
Catholic
Therefore, this is how you shall pray. Above, the Lord taught the manner of praying: namely, that we avoid both the vanit…
