Prayer for forgiveness
Maybe you can’t stop replaying something you did. Forgiveness isn’t earned. God gives it freely, because Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and you receive it by coming to him honestly and trusting him. Pray these words as they are, or make them your own.
A short prayer for forgiveness
Father, I have sinned against you, and I’m sorry. I can’t undo it or earn my way back. Thank you that Jesus died and rose again for sins like mine. Please forgive me, make me clean, and help me walk with you again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A prayer of forgiveness
Father in heaven, I come to you with things I would rather keep hidden. You already know them all, and still you invite me in.
I have sinned against you and against people I love, in my words, my choices, and the good I didn’t do. I’m sorry, and I won’t make excuses.
Thank you that I don’t have to earn your forgiveness. Jesus gave his life for me on the cross and rose from the dead, and I put my trust in him. Because of him, not anything I can offer, please forgive me and wash me clean.
Where I have hurt others, show me how to make it right. Where I keep returning to the same things, change my heart and fill me with your Spirit.
When guilt comes back to accuse me, remind me that I belong to you. Help me forgive others as you have forgiven me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
From Scripture
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Asking God for forgiveness after something you did
It might be words you can’t take back, or a night you wish you could undo. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter stood warming himself at a charcoal fire and denied knowing him (John 18:17–27). After the resurrection, Jesus cooked breakfast over another fire and asked him three times if he loved him. Peter answered “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” (John 21:17) Jesus didn’t shame him. He restored him.
A prayer for forgiveness of sins
Lord, you know what I did, and I’m not going to hide it. I sinned against you, and against (name). I’m sorry. Thank you that Jesus carried my sin on the cross. Please forgive me and make me clean. Show me if I can make things right with them, and give me the humility to try. As you did with Peter, remind me that I am still yours. Amen.
Prayer of repentance
It’s the same habit, or the same screen late at night, and you’ve lost count of the times you promised it would be the last. Repentance isn’t being perfect. It is turning back toward God, as often as you need to. Jesus knew Peter would fall, and told him “I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.” (Luke 22:32) A pastor or trusted friend can help you keep turning.
A prayer for when you keep falling into the same sin
Father, I’m back with the same sin, and I’m tired of it. I turn away from it and toward you. Thank you that your mercy hasn’t run out. Change what I love, not only what I do. Give me the courage to tell someone I trust and ask for help. When I fall, don’t let me stay down. Jesus, thank you for praying for me, as you prayed for Peter. Amen.
Prayer for forgiving someone who hurt me
A parent, spouse or friend hurt you, and it still comes back without warning. On the cross, Jesus prayed “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Forgiving doesn’t mean it was okay, or that you must trust them again or stay where you aren’t safe. It means handing the debt to God (Romans 12:19), and it can take time. If you are being hurt, your safety comes first; reach out to someone you trust or a counselor.
A prayer to forgive someone who hurt you
Lord, you saw what (name) did and how much it hurt. I won’t pretend it was okay. I want to forgive them, even if my heart isn’t there yet. I hand what they owe me over to you. You are the judge, not me. Heal what is still raw, give me wisdom about trust and distance, and keep me safe. When the anger returns, help me forgive again. Amen.
Prayer for forgiveness when you can’t forgive yourself
You know God has forgiven you, but the memory still stings. In John 8:1–11, men brought a woman to Jesus and talked about stoning her. He wrote on the ground, and when they had gone, he told her “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.” (John 8:11) If Jesus doesn’t condemn you, you can stop condemning yourself (Romans 8:1).
A prayer for when you can’t forgive yourself
Jesus, I keep going back to what I did. I confessed it to you, and you have forgiven me. Help me believe it. When my heart accuses me, remind me that you know everything and still call me yours. I lay down the punishment I keep giving myself, because you already carried my sin. Teach me to live forgiven, grateful and free. Amen.
If someone is hurting you, forgiving them does not mean staying in danger. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. In the US you can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Questions,
answered.
Will God forgive me for anything, even something terrible?
Yes. No sin is too big for the cross. Paul once dragged believers off to prison (Acts 8:3), yet he wrote “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). If you come to God honestly and trust Jesus, you are not beyond his reach. If you’re afraid you’ve gone too far, the fact that you want to come back to God is itself a sign he is still drawing you.
Do I have to say a specific prayer to be forgiven?
No. Special words don’t unlock forgiveness, and these prayers are not a formula. Forgiveness is a gift of grace, received by trusting Jesus (Ephesians 2:8–9). God promises to forgive everyone who confesses their sins to him (1 John 1:9). Your own honest words are enough.
Why do I still feel guilty after asking for forgiveness?
Feelings often lag behind the truth. Guilt can linger out of habit, or because of consequences you still live with, but God’s forgiveness rests on what Jesus did, not on how you feel (Romans 8:1). If the guilt won’t lift, a pastor or Christian counselor can help.
Do I have to forgive someone who isn’t sorry?
Scripture asks us to forgive as Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13). But forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation, which takes real change from the other person. You can release your anger to God and still keep your distance from someone who is not safe.
What is the difference between forgiveness and repentance?
Repentance is what you do: turning from sin back to God. Forgiveness is what God does: he cancels the debt because of Jesus. Peter put them together: “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). Repentance doesn’t earn forgiveness. It is how you come home to receive it.
Say it to God out loud.
Talk to Jesus is a prayer app, free to download, with short guided audio prayers about forgiveness, rooted in Scripture. Or pray out loud and hear a calm voice shaped by the Gospels.
Free on iPhone and Android. The voice is AI, not Jesus, and it never replaces prayer, Scripture or your church.
More prayers
-
Prayer for healing
For a loved one or a child who is sick, someone facing cancer, your own strength, and surgery.
-
Prayer for protection
For your family and home, for your children, and a night prayer as you lock up.
-
Prayer for anxiety
For stress, worry about tomorrow, panic and fear, and anxiety that comes with depression.
-
Night prayer before sleep
To lay down the day, rest in God’s care, and pray when worry keeps you awake.
-
Prayer for guidance
For a big decision, for direction and purpose, for strength, and for the road ahead.
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), which is in the public domain.