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Matthew 6:15

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

KJV

ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν.

Greek NT

Si autem non dimiseritis hominibus : nec Pater vester dimittet vobis peccata vestra.

Vulgate

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

ASV

But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

10 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
οὐδέ
oude
conjunction · 137×
παράπτωμα
paraptoma
noun · 19×
πατήρ
pater
noun · 412×
ἀφίημι
aphiemi
verb · 143×
ἄνθρωπος
anthropos
noun · 549×
ἐάν
ean
conditional · 333×
o
article · 19778×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

notable
SBLGNT: ἀνθρώποις | Holmes/WHmarg/NA: ἀνθρώποις | WH/Treg/NIV/RP: + τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν
  • ἀνθρώποιςSBLGNT
  • ἀνθρώποιςSBLGNT, Westcott-Hort (margin), Nestle-Aland 27
  • + τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶνWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

8 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§1434The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving,31 which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort …
§2608From the Sermon on the Mount onwards, Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one's brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies, and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else.64 This fi…
§2792Finally, if we pray the Our Father sincerely, we leave individualism behind, because the love that we receive frees us from it. the "our" at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, like the "us" of the last four petitions, excludes no one. If we are to say it truthfully, our divisions and oppositions have to be overcome.51
…and 1 more from this source.
City of God · 2 passages
Chapter 22.—Of Those Who Fancy that the Sins Which are Intermingled with Alms-Deeds Shall Not Be Charged at the Day of Judgment. I have also met with some who are of opinion that such only as neglect to cover their sins with alms-deeds shall be punished in everlasting fire; and they cite the words of the Apostle James, “He shall have judgment without mercy who hath shown no mer…
Chapter 27.—Against the Belief of Those Who Think that the Sins Which Have Been Accompanied with Almsgiving Will Do Them No Harm. It remains to reply to those who maintain that those only shall burn in eternal fire who neglect alms-deeds proportioned to their sins, resting this opinion on the words of the Apostle James, “He shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no …

Cross-references

  • Jas 2:13 — For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
  • Matt 18:35 — So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.