Forgiveness Coloring Pages — Free Printable Christian

Forgiveness coloring pages — the Prodigal Son, 70x7, the Lord's Prayer

Forgiveness is one of the central themes of Christian ethics, taught directly by Jesus throughout the gospels and central to the experience every Christian has of being forgiven by God. The Lord's Prayer makes it explicit: "Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). The forgiveness we receive from God is intimately linked with the forgiveness we extend to others.

This forgiveness section holds pages organized around the theme of forgiveness: the Prodigal Son parable, the unforgiving servant parable, the 70x7 teaching, the Lord's Prayer forgiveness petition, and the various biblical scenes of dramatic forgiveness.

What biblical forgiveness is — and isn't

Three things forgiveness is, biblically:

1. A decision to release the debt

The Greek word aphiēmi means "to send away" or "to let go." Forgiveness is the decision to release what's owed — to no longer hold the offense against the offender. It's an act of the will, not primarily a feeling.

2. Required of all who have received God's forgiveness

The unforgiving servant parable (Matthew 18:21-35) makes this explicit. The servant who has been forgiven an unpayable debt refuses to forgive a tiny debt — and is severely judged. Christians have received unmeasurable forgiveness from God; we are commanded to extend forgiveness to others.

3. A process, not always a single moment

For deep injuries — abuse, betrayal, sustained cruelty — forgiveness is often a process taking years. The decision to forgive can be made; the emotional integration can take much longer. Christian pastoral tradition acknowledges this complexity.

Three things forgiveness isn't:

Forgiveness isn't condoning the offense. Forgiving someone for their sin doesn't make the sin acceptable. It releases the offender from your judgment without endorsing what they did.

Forgiveness isn't immediately restoring trust. Trust is rebuilt over time through changed behavior. Forgiveness is the prerequisite for that rebuilding, not its conclusion.

Forgiveness isn't ignoring justice. In cases of serious harm — abuse, crime — forgiveness coexists with appropriate justice-seeking. The Christian command to forgive doesn't override the call for justice (Micah 6:8).

Our adult forgiveness content engages these pastoral nuances carefully.

Major forgiveness passages and parables

The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

The most-illustrated forgiveness narrative in scripture. The son squanders his inheritance, returns destitute, and is received by the father with a feast. The father's running embrace — culturally striking in the first-century Mediterranean context where elder males didn't run — embodies extravagant divine forgiveness.

The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

The cautionary parable. A servant forgiven a massive debt (10,000 talents — astronomical) refuses to forgive a fellow servant a small debt (100 denarii). The lord recalls the original forgiveness and consigns the unforgiving servant to torment.

"Seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22)

Peter asks Jesus how many times to forgive — "as many as seven times?" Jesus responds "seventy-seven times" or "seventy times seven" (translation varies). The point is unlimited forgiveness, not literal counting.

The Lord's Prayer petition (Matthew 6:12)

"Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors." Immediately followed by the explanation (Matthew 6:14-15) — "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Forgiveness from the cross (Luke 23:34)

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus' prayer for his executioners. The model of forgiveness extended even in suffering.

Stephen's prayer (Acts 7:60)

The first Christian martyr prays for his stoners: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Echoing Jesus.

Joseph forgiving his brothers (Genesis 50:15-21)

Old Testament forgiveness narrative. "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." The brothers fear retaliation; Joseph offers reconciliation and provision.

Sunday school workflow for forgiveness

A 4-week forgiveness unit:

Week 1 — The Prodigal Son

• Read Luke 15:11-32
• Color the 6-scene parable bundle
• Discussion: "What did the father do that surprised you? When have you needed that kind of forgiveness?"

Week 2 — The Unforgiving Servant

• Read Matthew 18:21-35
• Color the parable bundle
• Discussion: "The servant was forgiven so much. Why couldn't he forgive a little?"

Week 3 — Seventy times seven

• Read Matthew 18:21-22
• Color the "70 x 7" illustrated page
• Discussion: "What does it feel like when you have to keep forgiving the same person?"

Week 4 — From the cross

• Read Luke 23:32-34
• Color the cross-with-forgiveness scene
• Discussion: "Jesus forgave the people who killed him. What does that teach us about forgiveness?"

Difficult forgiveness — for older students

For older kids, teens, and adults, the Christian forgiveness teaching needs honest engagement with hard cases:

When the offender doesn't apologize

Forgiveness doesn't require apology — Jesus forgave from the cross while his executioners were still in the act. But repentance and reconciliation are different from forgiveness. You can forgive without restoring relationship.

Forgiving abuse

Forgiveness for abuse doesn't require returning to the abusive relationship. Forgiveness is internal release; safety boundaries are external action. Both can coexist.

When you can't feel forgiveness yet

The decision to forgive can be made even when emotions haven't followed. C.S. Lewis described forgiveness as a "long, hard road" — sometimes years to complete.

Our adult content engages these pastoral realities.

Editorial standards

Standard editorial policy applies. Forgiveness-specific notes:

Theological precision

We follow the historic Christian teaching: forgiveness is required of all who have received God's forgiveness, but pastoral wisdom matters in implementation. We don't preach forgiveness as a magic-wand simple solution.

What's coming next

• The 7-step forgiveness practice (drawn from Christian pastoral tradition)
• Forgiveness in marriages and families
• Forgiveness of self — for those struggling with self-condemnation

If you're teaching a forgiveness unit, email us.

Related themes and content

• All Christian themes — virtues and disciplines
• Love theme — forgiveness as love in action
• Parables of Jesus — Prodigal Son and Unforgiving Servant
• Joseph — Old Testament model of forgiveness
• Catholic Reconciliation — sacrament of forgiveness
• Sunday school — forgiveness unit lesson plans

— Sarah Mitchell, Christian Education Editor