Matthew 6:12 Meaning and Explanation
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →We ask God to forgive what we owe Him, and we ask it as people learning to forgive others.
The Context of Matthew 6:12
A line from the Lord's Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus pictures sin as a debt, something owed that we cannot repay, and ties our request for mercy to the mercy we extend.
What Does Matthew 6:12 Mean?
Jesus pictures our sin as a debt: something we owe and cannot pay back. So the prayer asks God to forgive the debt, to clear what stands against us. Then comes the part that searches the heart: 'as we forgive our debtors.' Those who have wronged us are pictured the same way, as people who owe us something. Jesus joins the two together. The mercy we ask from God and the mercy we give to others are meant to flow in one stream, not two.
Rather than earning forgiveness by being forgiving, the prayer recognizes that mercy received and mercy given belong together, and a heart that has truly tasted one will not refuse the other. Jesus would soon pay the debt Himself, and from the cross He prayed, 'Father, forgive them' (Luke 23:34). Because He has forgiven so much, He gently teaches us to loosen our grip on what others owe us, and to live as people who have been let off an impossible debt.
Matthew 6:12 in the Original Language
opheilema (ὀφείλημα), 'debt' -- something owed; here a picture of sin as a debt we cannot repay.
How to Apply Matthew 6:12 Today
This line invites us to receive God's mercy and to pass it on in the same breath. When someone owes us an apology or a debt of the heart, we can remember the far larger debt we have been forgiven, and let that soften us. Forgiveness given is the natural overflow of forgiveness received.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 6:12
What does Matthew 6:12 mean?
We ask God to forgive what we owe Him, and we ask it as people learning to forgive others.
What is the context of Matthew 6:12?
A line from the Lord's Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus pictures sin as a debt, something owed that we cannot repay, and ties our request for mercy to the mercy we extend.
How can I apply Matthew 6:12 today?
This line invites us to receive God's mercy and to pass it on in the same breath. When someone owes us an apology or a debt of the heart, we can remember the far larger debt we have been forgiven, and let that soften us. Forgiveness given is the natural overflow of forgiveness received.