Bible Strands
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Ephesian believers immediately after commanding them to remove bitterness, rage, and slander in the preceding verse.
The words — The text commands `εὔσπλαγχνοι` (eusplagchnoi), literally tender-hearted, and `χαριζόμενοι` (charizomenoi), a present participle meaning forgiving.
The thread — This directive intersects with Colossians 3:12, which pairs compassion with kindness, and Matthew 6:14 alongside Mark 11:25, which link human forgiveness to divine forgiveness.
Why it lands — The verse states that believers must be kind and tenderhearted while forgiving one another just as God forgave them in Christ. It requires readers to actively extend mercy to others as a direct response to that prior divine action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Cross-references
- Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- Mark 11:25 And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”
- 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- 2 Corinthians 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,
- Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
- Luke 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
- Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
- Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
- Luke 17:4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”