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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples mid-discourse on prayer, immediately after teaching them to believe their requests are already granted (Mark 11:24).

The words — ἔχετε (echete, "you have") frames unforgiveness as something held in the hand, a possession rather than a passing feeling; the imperative ἀφίετε (aphiete, "do forgive") then commands its release.

The thread — Matthew 6:14 states the same condition in the Sermon on the Mount; Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:32 extend it into ongoing community ethics, grounding the obligation in Christ's own forgiveness.

Why it lands — The verse makes the reader's own resentment the obstacle to answered prayer, not the other person's offense.

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 when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Cross-references

Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
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.
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
James 2:13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Matthew 5:23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
Matthew 18:23 Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Matthew 6:5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
Zechariah 3:1 Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.