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Bible Verses About Unforgiveness

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”

— Psalms 66:18

"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" — the Lord's prayer contains its own audit clause. These verses unpack it. The fifteen verses below are the Bible's direct address to that situation, shown in full KJV text from Psalms 66:18 to Hebrews 12:15.

Quick answer: The best-known verse about unforgiveness here is Psalms 66:18: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" Proverbs 19:11 follows close behind: "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." Both are public-domain translations, shown in full on the cards below with a modern-English toggle.

The 15 verses, in full text

01 · King James Version

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Psalms 66:18

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02 · King James Version

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Proverbs 19:11

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03 · King James Version

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

Jeremiah 17:14

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04 · King James Version

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Micah 7:18

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05 · King James Version

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:23

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06 · King James Version

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:12

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07 · King James Version

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:15

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08 · King James Version

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Matthew 18:35

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09 · King James Version

But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:26

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10 · King James Version

And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Luke 11:4

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11 · King James Version

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Romans 12:19

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12 · King James Version

To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

2 Corinthians 2:10

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13 · King James Version

Neither give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:27

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14 · King James Version

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Ephesians 4:31

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15 · King James Version

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Hebrews 12:15

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When to read these verses

These verses fit the private audit: the habit being fought, the pattern being broken, the relapse being confessed. They are hard verses held in the same Bible as the grace verses on purpose.

How to use this list

Each card toggles between the King James Version and the World English Bible; the modern renderings sometimes blunt or sharpen a warning, which is worth seeing before deciding what a verse requires. Copy the verse that names the current battle — and the one that names the provision, because the Bible never gives the first without the second.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Bible verse about unforgiveness?
Psalms 66:18 is the one most readers land on: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" Proverbs 19:11 is the usual second: "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." The full list of fifteen is on this page — there is no single required verse, and different seasons call for different texts.
Are these verses condemning?
They are diagnostic — which is different. The same New Testament that names sin most precisely (Romans 3, 1 John 1) carries its remedy in the next verse every time. Read the list whole rather than excerpting the hardest verse: the Bible's order is conviction first, cleansing immediately after, and this page keeps that order visible.
Where in the Bible does it talk about unforgiveness?
The verses on this page come from 11 books of the Bible — most notably Psalms, Proverbs, Jeremiah and 8 more — spanning both Old and New Testaments. The distribution itself is worth noticing: Scripture addresses unforgiveness in more than one voice, which is why the page shows whole verses rather than a single proof text.
How do I use a list of verses about unforgiveness?
Read the list once slowly, then keep the one verse that fits your situation close — the copy button places it wherever you will actually see it. Every card can be switched to the World English Bible for modern wording, and the random verse tool at the top of the page can draw one verse from this theme at a time if the whole list is more than today needs.

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