Quotes About Forgiveness That Will Inspire You to Let Go

Want more space in your life and your mind? All you need to do is one magic thing: forgive. Read these wise words, and then let go.

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Quotes About Forgiveness
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Powerful Forgiveness Quotes

On forgiveness and its impact

“Forgiveness does not change the past but it does enlarge the future.” —Paul Lewis Boese, business executive

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On forgiveness and forgetting

“Good to forgive; best to forget.” —Robert Browning, poet

These hope quotes will instantly lift you up.

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On forgiveness and our enemies

“Always forgive your enemies—nothing annoys them so much.” —Oscar Wilde, playwright and wit

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Kristan Higgins quote
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On forgiveness and family

“But they’re family, and you forgive them, even if they are human equivalent of hyenas. Because that’s what you do…forgive.” —Kristan Higgins, novelist

Here are 20 poignant Anne of Green Gables quotes to live by.

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On forgiveness and love

“If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.” —Mother Teresa, humanitarian

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Marlene Dietrich quote
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On forgiveness and men

“Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast.” —Marlene Dietrich, actress

You’ll find more words of wisdom in this collection of inspiring Marvel movie quotes.

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Nelson Mandela quote
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On forgiveness and resentment

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” —Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist and politician

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On forgiveness and freedom

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” —Lewis B. Smedes, ethicist and theologian

Don’t miss these insightful quotes from the Dalai Lama.

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Lana Turner quote
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On forgiveness and Hollywood

“It’s said in Hollywood that you should always forgive your enemies—because you never know when you’ll have to work with them.” —Lana Turner, actress

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On forgiveness and the self

“It is very easy to forgive others for their mistakes; it takes more grit and gumption to forgive them for having witnessed your own.” —Jessamyn West, writer

These good news stories will restore your faith in humanity.

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On forgiveness and its frequency

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” —Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Stephen King quote
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On forgiveness and ghosts

“Men and women who can’t get over the past…that’s what ghosts are.” —Stephen King, novelist

Find out how to rebuild self-esteem after your confidence has been shaken.

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On forgiveness and godliness

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” —Alexander Pope, poet

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On forgiveness and the mind

“As long as you don’t forgive, who and whatever it is will occupy a rent-free space in your mind.” —Isabelle Holland, novelist

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On forgiveness and leadership

“It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.” —Muhammad, prophet

Learn how to cultivate empathy and become a more compassionate person.

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On forgiveness and injury

“Reject your sense of injury, and the injury itself disappears.” —Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor

Here are 60 quotes from Indian philosophers that could change your life.

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Bill Moyers quote
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On forgiveness and marriage

“In marriage, every day you love, and every day you forgive. It is an ongoing sacrament, love and forgiveness.” —Bill Moyers, political commentator and journalist

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Mahatma Gandhi quote
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On forgiveness and character

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” —Mahatma Gandhi, Indian leader and activist

If you enjoyed these forgiveness quotes, don’t miss our roundup of the most inspiring quotes of all time.

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Originally Published on Reader's Digest