In the last two sermons, we reviewed seven important spiritual lessons Jesus provides in the Lord’s Prayer. This morning, we’ll move on to Lesson No. 8. This lesson is found in Matthew 6:12 in which Jesus teaches us to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (KJV) Luke’s Gospel puts it this way: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Luke 11:4a (NKJV) Both Matthew and Luke record Jesus mentioning “indebtedness” in this portion of His Model Prayer. There is another version of this verse, but it isn’t found in any of the original Greek texts. Actually, it is the version I was taught as a child in Sunday School. Maybe it was the one you were taught as well. It goes like this: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” You won’t find that translation in the King James Version that was published back in 1611, nor is it in any of the more modern translations of Matthew’s or Luke’s Gospels. So, where in the world did this third version come from? We’ll get to that in a few minutes.
In any event, Presbyterians generally offer the prayer using the words “debts” and “debtors” whereas Anglicans, Episcopalians, Methodists and Roman Catholics will usually say “trespasses” and “trespassers.” Baptists sometimes go either way. Many non-denominational churches, that are more ecumenical in nature, lean toward referring to the forgiveness of “sins,” rather than “debts” or “trespasses.”[1] Is this just a matter of semantics? Or, does it matter which of these versions we accept in order to get the true lesson Jesus is teaching us here? The short answer is: Yes, it matters very much. And, the reality is that we should consider each of these variations together to have a clearer picture of what is being taught. This means we should consider the words “debts,” “trespasses” and “sins” collectively in order to better understand the overall meaning of the prayer.
In Matthew’s Gospel, the Greek word used for “debts” is opheilēma (ὀφείλημα—pronounced “of-i’-lay-mah”).[2] The Greek word for “debtor” is opheiletēs (ὀφειλέτης—pronounced “of-i-let’-ace”). This latter word can also be translated as “offender”—and is derived from a root word meaning “sinner” or “transgressor.”[3] As you might imagine, these words typically deal with financial obligations. But, Jesus used them in His prayer to refer to moral or spiritual obligations.[4]
Luke’s Gospel expands this by adding the Greek word “hamartia” which means “sin”—(ἁμαρτία, pronounced “ham-ar-tee’-ah”).[5] Thus, Luke quotes Jesus as teaching us to pray: “Forgive us our sins” as we forgive our debtors. Luke really gets down to the root of the matter because he is pointing to what Jesus did for us on the Cross—He paid our debt of sin. This Greek word for “sin” means “missing the mark”—as, for example, an archer might do when his arrow fails to hit the target.”[6] That is what we do when we sin against God—we miss the spiritual “mark” or standard that He has set for us. It is a standard that everyone has failed to meet. For as Paul stated, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 (NIV) When you “miss the mark” by sinning, you create a moral and spiritual debt to God. It is a debt that you, acting on your own, can never repay. It is a stain that you, scrubbing by yourself, can never wash away.
Now, that is not to say that some people don’t try to pay the debt or wash away the stain solely through their own efforts. Many try to do this. They think they can take care of the debt of their sin and the sin-stained marks on their souls by performing “good deeds.” They reason that, if they do enough “good deeds,” it will be sufficient to counteract all those times they sinned against God. The problem is the Bible clearly teaches that it doesn’t work that way. In Ephesian 2:8, Paul tells us the only thing that can save you. He states: 8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) If even a slight stain of sin remains on your soul when you pass from this earth, then you are doomed and you will never enter God’s Heavenly Kingdom. So, what can you do?
You have only one option—only one way. Jesus was clear about this when He said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NIV) So, if you want to pursue His Way and accept the Truth about having Eternal Life, then you must repent and have faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. In a nutshell, you need to hit the spiritual re-set button; you need to start over in complete submission to Christ; you need to be “born again.”[7] And, having been born again, you must earnestly pray to the LORD with a heart that cries out: “Please forgive me of my debts; “Forgive me of my sins; “Forgive me of my trespasses!” Until you do that in a genuine manner, you will always be burdened by your sins that will continue to separate you from God. And, if you die without having attended to your sin-debt, then you will be separated from God for all eternity in a place called Hell. Why does it have to be that way? Why doesn’t God just wave His Hand and your sins are magically erased? The reason is that God is HOLY and JUST. Justice demands that all debts be paid in full. If God didn’t demand that your sins be paid for in full, then He would no longer be a HOLY and JUST God. And, since He is holy, God cannot be in the presence of sin. So, as we can see from the Lord’s Prayer, you must be fully forgiven of your sin-debts in order to enter into Heaven. You cannot owe one cent of sin and expect to enter the pearly gates.
Now, let’s get back to what Paul said about being saved by having faith in Jesus. If you trust in Jesus by having complete faith in Him—in other words, the kind of faith that comes from our love of Christ and a true desire to do His will—then Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross pays for your debt completely. His blood washes the stains of sin from your soul. Jesus will cancel your spiritual debts, for as the Prophet Isaiah proclaimed giving us the promise of Jesus: “I’ve blotted out your sins; they are gone like morning mist at noon! Oh, return to Me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” Isaiah 44:22 (TLB) That is why we pray, “Forgive us of our debts,” or “Forgive us of our sins.” But, why would anyone pray: “Forgive us our trespasses”?
Before answering that question, we should first identify the origin of the phrase: “Forgive us our trespasses.” As I mentioned earlier, this does not appear in the original Greek versions of Matthew or Luke. So, from where does it originate? Well, the answer goes all the way back to England in 1526. It was then that the great Reformation leader, William Tyndale, published his English version of the Greek texts of the New Testament. Rather than translating the Greek into English by using the word “debt,” he opted to use “trespasses.” Bear in mind that Tyndale was not some “fly by night” translator. He diligently went through the ancient Greek Scriptures and translated them into English as well as anyone could. So, his choice of the word “trespass” appears to be quite deliberate. And, we should also note that Tyndale was a courageous Christian. Until then, no one had dared to translate the Bible into the English language in order to make it available to ordinary people. It was a very dangerous thing to do. In fact, Tyndale would eventually be executed for producing his English translation. You see, King Henry VIII had passed a law forbidding such a thing for fear that a readily available English Bible would rob his elitist clergy men of their power. If these religious leaders could keep the Bible restricted to ancient Greek or Latin, then they could be the sole interpreters of God’s will as expressed in the Bible. Whatever they said the Bible meant in these ancient tongues, no one could challenge because the people had no means of actually reading the Scriptures for themselves. Tyndale’s English version of the New Testament changed all that. His translation of the Lord’s Prayer that used the word “trespasses” instead of “debts” eventually worked its way into the Anglican Book of Common Prayer where it remains to this very day. And, from that point on, many Christians over the centuries were taught to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” [8]
Although Tyndale’s word choice was not technically accurate, the meaning of “trespasses” actually follows Jesus’ teaching very closely. So, what is a “trespass” as used here in the Lord’s Prayer? Well, I have come across this concept when hunting. Sometimes hunters stray across someone’s property line. They cross over into territory where they are not supposed to be. In other words, they are trespassing. So, Tyndale took this concept of trespassing and used it in his translation of the Lord’s Prayer. In the prayer, a trespass involves some personal act of misconduct whereby a person wrongfully enters a realm that’s forbidden. Adam and Eve were “trespassers” when they approached the tree on which the forbidden fruit hung. They committed a trespass against God when they disobeyed His commandment and ate of that fruit. The reality is, like Adam and Eve, we are all trespassers. When we trespass, we have wronged God. It is an act of spiritual treason for which we deserve the death penalty. For as Paul said in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” (NKJV)[9] The same holds true for spiritual trespassing. Just like Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, when you trespass against God, you leave His land of promise and hope for the future. You then enter into Satan’s domain of doom and destruction. The Prodigal Son did this in one of Jesus’ parables.[10] Things didn’t work out too well for him until he acknowledged that he’d trespassed into that worldly land of sin. And so, he turned around (in other words, “repented”) and came back home to the land of his father where his only hope resided. The same holds true for you.
So, whether you pray, “forgive us our debts,” “forgive us our sins” or “forgive us our trespasses,” each one works together to shed light upon the lesson Jesus is teaching us here. Our sins against God create a debt that only Jesus can pay—as He did for us on the Cross. Our sins also amount to trespasses in the sense that they cause us to stray off the path God intends for us to follow. We end up in forbidden lands filled with all kinds of pitfalls and snares. Thus, we need God’s forgiveness offered through His love and mercy toward us and made available only through the Cross.
Now, you may have noticed that I have not explained why William Tyndale decided to use the word “trespass” instead of “debt.” Well, he never said why. But, if I had to guess, it appears that Tyndale’s use of the word “trespass” was intended to point us to something Jesus told His disciples immediately after giving them His Model Prayer. Jesus told them: 14 “For if you forgive men their TRESPASSES, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their TRESPASSES, neither will your Father forgive your TRESPASSES.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV) Here, Jesus emphasized the importance of forgiving others of the wrongs they have done to us. Tyndale apparently thought this was so important that he incorporated “trespasses” into the Lord’s Prayer in the place of the word “debts.” We get angry when people don’t pay their debts owed to us. We get even more angry when they trespass across our property. We perceive it as a violation of our private space and take it as a personal affront. Forgiving a debtor is hard. Forgiving a trespasser seems even harder. But, it is crucial for us to call upon the Holy Spirit to help us forgive others—both debtors and trespassers alike. It is not optional. Jesus is very clear about this. If you can’t forgive others, He won’t forgive you. It’s just that simple. And this makes sense, for as Paul explains: 12 “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and FORGIVE ANYONE WHO OFFENDS YOU. REMEMBER, THE LORD FORGAVE YOU, SO YOU MUST FORGIVE OTHERS.” Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT2) We all commit “trespasses” against others from time to time. And, when others do the same to us, we need to put away grudges and immediately try to reconcile. We all need forgiveness, and we all must offer mercy and forgiveness to others. Otherwise, as Jesus told His disciples, when we fail to forgive, we condemn ourselves. To avoid that, we must imitate Jesus, who while suffering on the Cross, looked up to Heaven and prayed, “Father, FORGIVE THEM; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a (KJV) Imitating Christ is a hard thing to do—and yet, that is exactly what we are called to do.
For example, you may recall the brutal murders of four college students at the University of Idaho back in 2022. Last month, convicted murderer, Bryan Kohberger, was sentenced for those killings. He was given four consecutive life sentences without parole. Xana Kernodle, age 20, was one of the four students who was stabbed to death. Her mother, Cara Northington, spoke at the sentencing hearing. She told how she missed her daughter dearly. She described her as someone who was a vibrant and beautiful person both outwardly and inwardly. Kohberger’s murderous acts amounted to the most savage and evil trespass one could ever imagine. And yet, there in the courtroom, Mrs. Northington turned to this murder and said: “Jesus has allowed me to forgive you for murdering my daughter without you even being sorry or asking for [forgiveness]. I do not fear you or even let you rent space in my head anymore. This forgiveness has released me from any and all evil you have inflicted on me and my family. I pray that, before this life is over, that you ask our Lord and Savior in your heart to forgive you.” [11] You see, that’s what it looks like when you imitate Jesus by extending mercy and forgiveness even for the most heinous of trespasses.
This morning, are you in need of forgiveness? Have you sinned against God and it’s weighing heavily upon your mind? Pray to the Lord: “Forgive me my debts. . . my sins. . . my trespasses.” But, before you pray, reflect on the wrongs you’ve experienced from others. Maybe someone has trespassed against you. And, as a result, you are harboring a grudge that’s fueled by angry feelings and hatred that have simmered for way too long in your heart. Don’t hold on to that bitterness. It’s separating you from God. And, if you hold on to it too long, you’ll jeopardize your opportunity to have the Lord forgive you. What a terrible thing that would be! Martin Luther King, Jr. said that, “Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a permanent attitude.”[12] Indeed, it is—for if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, it is the attitude you must adopt. And, writer William Arthur Ward once stated: “Life lived without forgiveness becomes a prison.” [13] Yes, it does become a prison. But, Jesus came to set the captives free.[14] Let Him set you free this morning if you need to forgive someone. Let Him release you from the bitterness of unforgiveness. Jesus wants to forgive all your debts, trespasses and sins. He opens the door to Heaven when you seek forgiveness in prayer. Don’t close that door by refusing to forgive others.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
August 17, 2025
©2025 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] Jon Bloom, “Forgive Us Our What?—Three Ways We Say the Lord’s Prayer,” Desiring God, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/forgive-us-our-what (January 19, 2018).
[2] James Strong, Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "3783".
[3] James Strong, Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "3781".
[4] Jon Bloom, “Forgive Us Our What?—Three Ways We Say the Lord’s Prayer,” Desiring God, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/forgive-us-our-what (January 19, 2018).
[5] James Strong, Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "266".
[6] John W. Ritenbaugh, “What the Bible says about Sin as Missing the Mark,” Biblestudytools.org, https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/CGG/ID/6773/Sin-as-Missing-Mark.htm#:~:text=The%20word%20translated%20as%20"sin"%20literally%20means%20"to,strength%3B%20and%20imperfectly%20loving%20our%20neighbor%20as%20ourselves (accessed August 9, 2025).
[7] John 3:3 [Jesus said:] “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (NLT2)
[8] Jon Bloom, “Forgive Us Our What?—Three Ways We Say the Lord’s Prayer,” Desiring God, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/forgive-us-our-what (January 19, 2018).
[9] Ibid.
[10] Luke 15:11–32 (The Prodigal Son Parable.)
[11] Milton Quintanilla, “Idaho Victim’s Mother Extends Forgiveness to Bryan Kohberger and Declares Her Faith in Courtroom,” Crosswalk.com, https://www.crosswalk.com/headlines/contributors/milton-quintanilla/idaho-victims-mother-extends-forgiveness-to-bryan-kohberger-and-declares-her-faith-in-courtroom.html (July 29, 2025).
[12] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, “Forgiveness”—Martin Luther King, Jr. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 219.
[13] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, “Forgiveness—William Arthur Ward (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 220.
[14] Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon Me, for the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.” (NLT2)
