Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Study Note
Study Note
The triad 'kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another' is grounded in Christological imitation — 'even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you' — rather than in mere humanitarian sentiment, giving Christian social ethics a specifically theological foundation. The word 'tenderhearted' (eusplanchnos, literally 'good-boweled') employs the visceral 'splanchna' (innards) imagery for deep compassion found also in Colossians 3:12 ('bowels of mercies') and Luke 15's father who had compassion (esplanchnisthē) on the returning prodigal. The parallel in Colossians 3:13 identifies this forgiveness as the 'bond of perfectness' in community, making interpersonal forgiveness structurally necessary to the church's unity. Theologically, the verse forges the link between received grace and social grace: the measure of forgiveness received determines the measure of forgiveness extended (Matthew 18:33).
Other Translations
and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.
and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you.
And be kind to one another, full of pity, having forgiveness for one another, even as God in Christ had forgiveness for you.
Cross References
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for …
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his …
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with …
The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the …