On forgiveness

Forgive others everything, and forgive thyself nothing. Abba Isaiah

When thou repayest thy neighbour for an offence, then God no longer punishes him. But if thou forgivest, then God will either punish him or forgive thee thy sins. Saint John Chrysostom

When good is done to us, we must remember it with a feeling of gratitude; but if we are treated ill, love must make us forget it. St Ambrose of Milan

He who remembers the malice of the devil will not remember the malice of men. But he lives at peace with the devil who does not forget his brother's sins. St Nilus of Sinai

Why dost thou hate the man who has offended thee? Not he but the devil has wounded thy heart; hate not the sick man, but the sickness. Amma Syncletica

Hate the sins, not the sinner. Protopresbyter P. Sokolov

True Christian love consists in this, that one should refrain even from just vengeance and commit it to God. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). Protopresbyter I. Tolmachov

Receive him who comes with repentance as one sent from the Lord, that thou mayest not thereby insult and anger God Himself. St Ephraim the Syrian

The more anyone sins against us, the more must we strive to be reconciled with him, for by this more of our sins will be forgiven us. Saint John Chrysostom

One must be reconciled even with an enemy, if he asks peace of thee. For whoever does not forgive another will not escape the punishment of God. St Isidore of Pelusium

By not granting forgiveness thou harmest not so much the other as thyself. Saint John Chrysostom

Say not: “I shall repay my enemy,” for in heaven thou hast a righteous Judge. St Nilus of Sinai

He who avenges himself for his own sake, as it were condemns God for lacking justice. St Mark the Ascetic

There are many kinds of mercy by which we may receive from God forgiveness of our own sins, but the chief of them is forgiveness in the Lord's name. Blessed Augustine

The misfortune is not the offence, but that it gives birth in us to hatred of him who offended us, and our heart grows familiar with the feeling of hatred, malice and revenge. Archbishop Macarius

Repay not thy neighbour for an offence, but forgive, for thou thyself hast need of forgiveness from the Lord. Archbishop Macarius

He who would exact strictly from his debtor, let him remember that he himself is a debtor before God. Archbishop Macarius

The forgiving of an offence is the necessary condition for receiving from God forgiveness of our own sins; the second is impossible without the first. “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged” (Luke 6:37), says the Lord. Archbishop Macarius

Forgive thy neighbour a hundred mites, that the Lord may forgive thee a heap of talents. St Tikhon of Zadonsk

If thy neighbour has greatly offended thee, then the more thou forgivest him, the more wilt thou be forgiven by God. Saint John Chrysostom

Spare one another, and the Lord will spare you. St Anthony the Great

To remember an offence and to pray is the same as to sow in the sea and to wait for a harvest. St Isaac the Syrian

A strong wind will scatter the clouds, and the remembrance of evil will drive good feelings out of the soul. Abba Evagrius

For him who forgives, the judgement also will be forgiving. Abba Isaiah

If thou forgivest not all who have sinned against thee, then labour not in fasting and prayer... God will not receive thee. St Ephraim the Syrian