Forgiveness

Unto the end, understanding for David,

When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul: David went to the house of Achimelech.

Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?

All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit.

Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.

Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.

Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.

The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:

Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.

But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.

I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.

Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants.

And when he had begun to take the account, one as brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents.

And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.

But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow-servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, he throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest.

And his fellow-servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.

Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came, and told their lord all that was done.

Then his lord called him: and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me:

Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?

And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt.

So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

And he said: A certain man had two sons.

And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his substance.

And not many days after, the younger son, gathering all together, went abroad into a far country: and there wasted his substance, living riotously.

And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country: and he began to be in want.

And he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine.

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger!

I will arise and will go to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee.

I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And rising up, he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion and running to him fell upon his neck and kissed him.

And the son said to him: Father: I have sinned against heaven and before thee I am not now worthy to be called thy son.

And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.

And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat and make merry:

Because this my son was dead and is come to life again, was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

Now his elder son was in the field and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

And he said to him: Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe.

And he was angry and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him.

And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee and I have never transgressed thy commandment: and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends.

But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

But he said to him: Son, thou art always with me; and all I have is thine.

But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.