After completing the Lord's Prayer, Jesus added: "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." He who is unforgiving cuts off the very channel through which alone he can receive mercy from God. We should not think that unless those who have injured us confess the wrong we are justified in withholding from them our forgiveness. It is their part, no doubt, to humble their hearts by repentance and confession; but we are to have a spirit 114 of compassion toward those who have trespassed against us, whether or not they confess their faults. However sorely they may have wounded us, we are not to cherish our grievances and sympathize with ourselves over our injuries; but as we hope to be pardoned for our offenses against God we are to pardon all who have done evil to us.

Efter at have afsluttet Herrens bøn tilføjede Jesus: »Thi tilgiver I menneskene deres overtrædelser, vil jeres himmelske Fader også tilgive jer; men tilgiver I ikke menneskene deres overtrædelser, vil jeres Fader heller ikke tilgive jeres overtrædelser.« Den, der er uforsonlig, afskærer netop det middel, gennem hvilket han kan modtage barmhjertighed fra Gud. Vi må ikke nære den tanke, at medmindre de, der har skadet os, bekender deres fejl, er vi berettigede til at nægte dem vor tilgivelse. Uden tvivl påhviler det dem at ydmyge deres hjerter ved anger og bekendelse; men vi bør nære et medlidende sindelag mod dem, der har syndet imod os, uanset om de bekender deres fejl eller ikke. Hvor meget de end måtte have såret os, må vi ikke opholde os ved vore besværinger eller hengive os til selvmedynk for den uret, vi har lidt, men ligesom vi håber at få forladelse for vore overtrædelser mod Gud, må vi forlade alle, som har gjort ondt imod os.