Common Book
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Forgiveness

Letting go of wrongs given or received. Mercy and its limits.

“Have you forgiven someone, or been forgiven, in a way that mattered? What was it, and what changed?”

Read the chapter: The room we leave open →Reflect on forgivenessSpeak with the book

Facets

The angles forgiveness keeps showing up at, across thousands of years.

Returning good for evil

Rather than retaliating against those who wrong us, respond with kindness, patience, and love.

15 passages · 5 traditions

  • The best kind of revenge is, not to become like unto them.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 6.V, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Either teach them better if it be in thy power; or if it be not, remember that for this use, to bear with them patiently, was mildness and goodness granted unto thee. The Gods themselves are good unto such; yea and in some things, (as in matter of health, of wealth, of honour,) are content often to further their endeavours: so good and gracious are they. And mightest thou not be so too? or, tell me, what doth hinder thee?

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 9.IX, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • They that shall oppose thee in thy right courses, as it is not in their power to divert thee from thy good action, so neither let it be to divert thee from thy good affection towards them. But be it thy care to keep thyself constant in both; both in a right judgment and action, and in true meekness towards them, that either shall do their endeavour to hinder thee, or at least will be displeased with thee for what thou hast done.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 11.VIII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good;--and thus (all) get to be good. To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere;--and thus (all) get to be sincere.

    — Taoism · Tao Te Ching, 49-56.49, tr. James Legge, 1891 ↗

  • To act without (thinking of) acting; to conduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste without discerning any flavour; to consider what is small as great, and a few as many; and to recompense injury with kindness.

    — Taoism · Tao Te Ching, 57-64.63, tr. James Legge, 1891 ↗

  • But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

    — Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, Matthew.Matthew 5:44, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

+ 9 more in this facet →

Turning back: repentance and return

The journey of recognizing one's own wrongdoing, turning away from it, and seeking restoration.

25 passages · 3 traditions

+ 19 more in this facet →

The prodigal welcomed home

Divine and human mercy runs ahead of deserving — the wrongdoer is received back with open arms.

9 passages · 4 traditions

  • To those who avoid great crimes and scandals but commit only lighter faults, verily, thy Lord will be diffuse of mercy. He well knew you when he produced you out of the earth, and when ye were embryos in your mother's womb. Assert not then your own purity. He best knoweth who feareth him.

    — Qur’an · Qur'an, 56.53:32, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

  • But herein is the gift and mercy of God, the Author of this society, in that, once cut off we may grow together and become part of the whole again. But if this happen often the misery is that the further a man is run in this division, the harder he is to be reunited and restored again.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 11.VII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • But pardon and a great reward for those who fear their Lord in secret!

    — Qur’an · Qur'an, 67.67:12, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

  • And all rancour will We remove from their bosoms: they shall sit as brethren, face to face, on couches: Therein no weariness shall reach them, nor forth from it shall they be cast for ever.

    — Qur’an · Qur'an, 15.15:47-48, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

  • Him only shalt thou really warn, who followeth the monition and feareth the God of mercy in secret: him cheer with tidings of pardon, and of a noble recompense.

    — Qur’an · Qur'an, 36.36:11, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

  • Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

    — Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, Luke.Luke 15:31-32, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

+ 3 more in this facet →

Evil deeds and their inescapable weight

Wrong actions carry consequences that cannot be outrun — only genuinely undone through change.

12 passages · 4 traditions

+ 6 more in this facet →