Quotes
65 Inspirational Forgiveness Quotes
This powerful collection of Forgiveness Quotes will remind us all of the importance of letting go, healing and moving on with our lives.
Forgiveness is not just about forgetting what happened, but about releasing anger and resentment so that we can find peace within ourselves.
Although it can be difficult, forgiveness is a powerful step toward emotional growth, stronger relationships and having a more positive mindset.
These forgiveness quotes offer valuable lessons about letting go, healing and embracing a more peaceful life.

What Is Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is the act of letting go of anger, resentment or the desire for revenge after being hurt.
It does not mean what happened was acceptable, but rather that you are choosing to move forward and free yourself from any negative emotions.

These Forgiveness Quotes Cover The Following:
• Letting go of anger and resentment
• Finding inner peace and emotional healing
• Moving forward from past experiences
• Strength and courage in forgiveness
• Building better relationships through understanding
Life is too short to be mad or angry at people, when you should be using your time and energy on being a more happy and positive person.

Forgiveness Quotes
1. “Let us forgive each other – only then will we live in peace.” ― Leo Tolstoy
2. “Forgiveness isn’t approving what happened. It’s choosing to rise above it.” ― Robin Sharma
3. “Kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, forgive quickly.” ― Paulo Coelho

4. “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” ― Cherie Carter-Scott
5. “A life lived without forgiveness is a prison.” ― William Arthur Ward
6. “When someone does something wrong, don’t forget all the things they did right.” ― Forgiveness Quote

7. “The 3 most powerful resources you have available to you: love, prayer and forgiveness.” ― H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
8. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” ― Lewis B. Smedes
9. “Forgiving you is my gift to you. Moving on is my gift to myself.”

Forgiveness Quotes About Healing
10. “Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.” ― Indira Gandhi
11. “Forgiveness is not something we do for other people. It’s something we do for ourselves to move on.” ― Forgiveness Quote
12. “Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.”

13. “He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” ― George Herbert
14. “Strive to be first: first to nod, first to smile, first to compliment, and first to forgive.” ― Rhonda Byrne
15. “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” ― Wayne Dyer

16. “If you can’t forgive and forget, pick one.” ― Robert Brault
17. “Love people who hate you. Pray for people who have wronged you. It won’t just change their life… it’ll change yours.” ― Mandy Hale
18. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

19. “Forgiveness is not always easy. At times it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.” ― Marianne Williamson
Quotes About Forgiveness
20. “The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” ― Steve Maraboli
21. “There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” ― Bryant McGill

22. “We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive.” ― Gregory David Roberts
23. “Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.” ― Tony Robbins
24. “I don’t think there’s anything braver than forgiveness.” ― Brené Brown

25. “Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energy moving forward together towards an answer.” ― Denis Waitley
26. “Forgive people in your life, even those who are not sorry for their actions. Holding on to anger only hurts you, not them.”
27. “The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is the happiest.” ― Forgiveness Quote

28. “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does change the future.”
29. “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Forgiveness Quotes About Relationships
30. “Forgiveness is a reflection of loving yourself enough to move on.” ― Steve Maraboli

31. “A heart filled with anger has no room for love.” ― Joan Lunden
32. “I can have peace of mind only when I forgive rather than judge.” ― Gerald Jampolsky
33. “When you choose to forgive those who have hurt you, you take away their power.”

34. “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” ― Bruce Lee
35. “Before we can forgive one another, we have to understand one another.” ― Emma Goldman
36. “When you forgive, you heal. When you let go, you grow.” ― Forgiveness Quote

37. “There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness.” ― John Connolly
38. “Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.” ― William Arthur Ward
39. “You’ll never know how strong your heart is, until you learn to forgive who broke it.”

Forgiveness Inspirational Quotes
40. “To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.” ― Confucius
41. “Sometimes what a person needs most is to be forgiven.” ― Jennifer McMahon
42. “It takes a strong person to say sorry, and an even stronger person to forgive.” ― Forgiveness Quote

43. “Without forgiveness, there’s no future.” ― Desmond Tutu
44. “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” ― Robert Quillen
45. “Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much.” ― Oscar Wilde

46. “Release the anger, forgive them, and move on so that your life can be made better.” ― Germany Kent
47. “By having a forgiving attitude, you can change your life and the lives of the people you care about most.” ― Kathie M. Thomson
48. “Forgiveness is freedom.” ― Jenny C. Bell

49. “Though I was unaware of it at the time, that simple act of forgiveness was the beginning of an entirely new level of experiencing life for me.” ― Wayne Dyer
Motivational Quotes About Forgiveness
50. “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” ― Cherie Carter-Scott
51. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King, Jr.

52. “Without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” ― Roberto Assagioli
53. “I believe forgiveness is the best form of love in any relationship. It takes a strong person to say they’re sorry and an even stronger person to forgive.” ― Yolanda Hadid
54. “The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” ― Marianne Williamson

55. “It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.” ― Maya Angelou
56. “Forgiveness is for yourself because it frees you. It lets you out of that prison you put yourself in.” ― Louise Hay
57. “When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God’s light shines upon you.” ― Jon Krakauer Forgiveness Quote

58. “Never forget the nine most important words of any family: I love you. You are beautiful. Please forgive me.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.
59. “Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.” ― Criss Jami
Inspirational Forgiveness Quotes
60. “You have to work on forgiveness and love, and that includes your own self.”

61. “Forgiveness has an uncanny way of bringing incredible good out of incredibly bad situations.” ― Paul J. Meyer
62. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
63. “You will know that forgiveness has begun, when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.” ― Lewis B. Smedes

64. “Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.” ― Les Brown
65. “It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place, because it frees you.” ― Tyler Perry
Forgiveness Quotes Summary:
The forgiveness quotes above remind us that letting go of resentment can lead to greater peace, healing and personal growth.
By choosing to forgive, we can free ourselves from the past and create space for a more positive and fulfilling future.

Remember, forgiveness is not just beneficial for the person that we are forgiving, but it is also good for our own health and long term happiness.
Related Quote Collections:
• Quotes About Regret
• Inspirational Quotes
• Mindset Quotes
• Positive Attitude Quotes
• Trusting Your Intuition Quotes
Updated April 2026

Damien Thomas is the founder of Your Positive Oasis, a personal growth website dedicated to sharing uplifting and inspirational quotes. Since 2016, he has helped readers to develop a more positive mindset, boost their self-belief and stay motivated through encouraging content. In recognition of his work, Damien has won the Best Health and Well-Being Blog Award. Drawing on over 30 years of personal development experience, Damien’s mission is to inspire people to live each day with greater purpose, confidence, and happiness.
