Forgiveness

In the new covenant writings (Acts - Revelation) there are 2 verbs and 1 noun in Greek which most often have been translated in the King James Version (KJV) into various forms of "forgiveness" or "remission."

This article takes a close look at these Greek words and provides information from the True Bible Study (TBS) translation and studies.

Greek Words	TBS Translation	TBS Explanation
Verb: aphiemi	to dismiss or to leave	to send away, discharge, remit, acquit, set free, let go from one’s concern
Noun: aphesis	dismissal	discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed
Verb: charizomai	to grace or to graciously forgive	to bestow grace, the favor of forgiveness, pardon

Acts 2:38 - noun: aphesis

Acts 2:37-39:

^.37And having heard they were pierced-down (in) the heart and they said towards Peter and the remaining apostles, "What may we do, adult-males, brothers?" ^.38And Peter (said) towards them, "You must repent and each of you must be baptized on the name of Jesus Christ into (the) dismissal of your sins and you will receive the free-gift of the holy spirit, ^.39for the promise is to you and to your children and to all the (people) into distant-places as-many-as ever (the) Lord our God may call-towards-Himself,"

When the people heard what Peter was telling them, they were pierced down (pricked through) in their heart, meaning that they had great pain in the center of their being. They spoke towards Peter and the rest of the apostles asking what they should do in this situation.

Peter replied in response to their asking for help:

"You must repent (change your minds to what I am telling you)…

each one of you must be baptized (immersed, surrounded)
- resting-upon or based-on the name of Jesus Christ (which includes all the authority and power which that name involves and stands for)
  - resulting in
  - the dismissal of your sins (the discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed because of the sins you committed)

...and you will receive the free-gift of the holy spirit."

Sins are aberrations from God’s Word, missing the mark of what God says. The consequences of sins would justly result in punishment. However, Peter was giving those people the opportunity to receive remission of their sins because it was made available to all by the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the price, the punishment in full. Those who would be baptized on the name of Jesus Christ into the dismissal of their sins would receive the free-gift of holy spirit, just as Peter and the other eleven had received earlier that morning (refer to Acts 2:1-4).

Peter continues:

"…for the promise (the proclamation, declaration of God’s intention of baptism in holy spirit) is to...

you Judeans/Israelites in Jerusalem today being the day of Pentecost,
and your children who are born to you,
and all the people who are at this moment far away with a long space between them and the Lord Jesus Christ - the Gentiles/other nations

…as many people as ever the Lord our God would invite to Himself."

Acts 5:31 - noun: aphesis

Acts 5:29-32:

^.29But Peter having answered and the apostles said, "It is necessary to be ruled-persuasively by God rather than men - ^.30the God of our fathers raised-up Jesus whom you handled having hung (him) on a wooden-stake; ^.31God heightened this author and savior to His right-side to give repentance to Israel and dismissal of sins; ^.32and we are witnesses of these spoken-matters and the spirit, the holy (spirit) which God gave to the (people) being ruled-persuasively by Him."

Peter and the other eleven apostles answered the charge posed to them:

“It is necessary (binding)
- to be ruled persuasively by God (to obey the persuasion, the conviction that has been given to us from/by God Who is the One Who rules being in the chief, first-placed position having the authority)
  - more-so than to be ruled by the persuasion of men (mankind)….”

Peter continues to explain this to them:

“…the God of our fathers raised up Jesus (the same God Whom the forefathers of all Israelites/Judeans were to worship, serve and obey - He caused Jesus to rise up from death)
- whom emphatically you handled having hung him on a wooden stake (you are the ones who got your hands on Jesus and managed him by passing him through your hands into your intended goal which was that you suspended him from a dead tree post, crucifixion);
God heightened (elevated, lifted high, exalted)
this one who is the
- author (the source, the cause of what has come to pass, the chief, first, ruling one, the beginner)
- and savior (the one who saves, makes people safe, the accomplisher of salvation)
  - to His right side (to God’s own right-hand side, the place of authority, power, honor, blessing, grace, approval, and excellence, second in command to God Himself)
- - why? -
- to give (to present without force, to yield making available)
- to the people of Israel
  - repentance (a change of mind from bad to good regarding God and the things of God - Israel to change their minds after re-thinking the matter)
  - and dismissal of sins (the discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed because of the sins committed);
and emphatically we are witnesses of (we have information, knowledge of what we are attesting to, and we can therefore confirm)
- these spoken matters (these specific portions of God’s Word)
and the spirit is a witness,
- emphatically and specifically the holy (sanctified) spirit which God gave to the people being ruled persuasively by Him (as verse 29 above)."

God gave this gift of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost by means of the Lord Jesus Christ, and any person who obeys God - as obeying a ruler because of being persuaded about what He says - receives holy spirit-life within him/her.

Acts 10:43 - noun: aphesis

Acts 10:40-43:

^.40God raised this (Jesus) up the third day and He gave him to become manifest ^.41not to all the people but to witnesses, the (witnesses) having been chosen-by-hand-beforehand by God, to us, the-people-who ate-together with and drank-together with him after his being resurrected out-from dead-people,

^.42and he charged to us to herald-forth to the people and to throughly-witness that this (Jesus) is the (one) having been marked-out-definitely² by God (as being the) judge of (people) living and dead-people;

^.43to this (Jesus) all the prophets witness (that) by means of his name every-person believing into him (is) to receive dismissal of sins."

In this record Peter is speaking to Cornelius and all the other Gentiles gathered with him in his house. Let us join Peter in verse 40:

"God raised this Jesus up the third day (72 hours after his burial) and God gave him to become manifest (evident, shown forth, openly seen), not to all the people, but on the contrary, among witnesses…

emphatically and specifically the witnesses who were previously appointed by God’s hand in advance,
- to us -
- we are the people who ate food together with him and drank liquids together with him after his being resurrected out from dead-people (after his standing-up out from among the rest of the dead-people who still remain dead),
and he charged to us (the resurrected Jesus the Christ passed a message on from himself to us)
- to herald forth (to proclaim as a herald)
  - to the people
- and to bear complete witness (to fully affirm or testify thoroughly making known the information and knowledge that we have)
- that this Jesus is the one who was and continues to be marked out definitely by God
  - as being the judge of people living and dead-people (the presiding judge, the one making decisions, on behalf of God, on the people who will be alive when the time comes and the people who will have already died by that time; dead-people have no life at all in them until they will be caused to rise from death at a future time to receive Christ's judgment);

…to this Jesus all the prophets witness (those who have spoken for God to people bear witness regarding this Jesus) that…

by means of his name (through all the power and authority included within the name that God gave to Jesus)
every person believing into him (having faith-in, trusting regarding him whereby he is the object of that person's belief)
- is to receive dismissal of sins (the discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed because of the sins committed)."

Acts 26:18 - noun: aphesis

Acts 26:15-18:

^.15And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you persecute; ^.16but you must stand-up and you must stand on your feet for into this I was seen by you to hand-pick you (as) an assistant and a witness both of-which-things you saw and of-which-things I will cause-to-be-seen by you, ^.17taking you to-myself out-from the people and out-from the Gentiles into whom I apostle you ^.18to open their eyes: (for them) to turn-back from darkness into light, and the authority of satan on God, (for) them to receive dismissal of sins, and a lot among the (people) having been made-holy² by belief, the (belief) into me.'

In this record Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa with regard to his actions and he includes what the Lord Jesus Christ told him. Let us join Paul in verse 15:

"Emphatically I said, 'Who are you, Lord (Master of this situation)?'

The Lord said, ‘Emphatically I am Jesus whom you persecute…

but contrary to doing that, you must stand up (get up from the ground)
and you must stand on your feet (take a firm stand)
in truth it is with a view to this purpose that I was seen by you (I was presented to be perceived by your eyes and known by you)
- to hand-pick you (to cause you to be at-hand in advance of the time you are needed to accomplish certain tasks)
- as
  - an assistant (attendant)
  - and a witness (a person who bears witness, who has information or knowledge of what you are attesting to, and can therefore confirm it on the strength of your own authority)
  - both of which things you saw (have already perceived and known)
  - and of which things I will in the future cause to be seen by you,
- taking you to myself (plucking you for myself)
  - out from the people (referring to Judeans, the descendants of Israel/Jacob, collectively)
  - and out from the Gentiles (people belonging to every other nation)
- into whom emphatically I apostle you (I send you forth on this specific mission or assignment to the people of Israel and to the Gentiles)
  - to open their eyes (figuratively referring to the eyes of their minds, their understanding opening up to see and know the truth and thereby allowing them to be able to make their own decisions based on accurate information):
- for the purpose of them
- to turn away from darkness (the absence of light)
  - into absolute light,
- and away from the authoritative power of satan (which is the name emphasizing the devil's opposing and adversarial attributes)
  - onto the only true God,
- for the purpose of them
- to receive dismissal of sins (the discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed because of the sins committed),
- and to receive a lot (an inheritance, an assigned lot)
  - among the people who have already been made holy (sanctified - referring to the holy-people, Christians) and who remain holy
  - by/with/in belief,
  - emphatically and specifically the belief into me (the faith, that-which is to be trusted, what is to be believed regarding me, Jesus).' "

Romans 4:7 - verb: aphiemi

Romans 4:4-8:

^.4But to the (person) working, the compensation is not calculated according to grace but according to debt; ^.5but to the (person) not working but believing on the (One) making the not-reverential-person righteous, his belief is calculated into righteousness; ^.6fully-as also David says (regarding) the happiness of the man to whom God calculates righteousness without works, ^.7"Happy (are those) whose lawlessnesses were dismissed and whose sins were covered-over; ^.8happy (is the) adult-male of-whom (the) Lord may never calculate sin."

In verse 6 Paul writes that King David lays out a collection of words (which was recorded in written form in the old covenant writings) regarding the happiness of the man to whom God calculates righteousness without works (apart from the man’s own works trying to earn God’s righteousness as compensation, wages, or a debt due to him from God).

"Happy are the people
- whose lawlessnesses (transgressions of God’s law to/for them)
  - were dismissed (sent away, discharged, remitted, acquitted, set free, let go from concern)
- and whose sins (aberrations from God's Word, missing the mark of what God says to/for them)
  - were covered over (were concealed, as a cover put on top of them so that they are hidden from view and therefore will not be taken into account by God in judgment against them) ;
happy is the adult-male (grown man)
- regarding whom the Lord
  - would never calculate sin (would not at any time reckon, count, compute sin in judgment against that adult-male)."

Ephesians 1:7 - noun: aphesis

Ephesians 1:7 and 8:

^.7in whom we have the full-redemption by means of his blood, the dismissal of the falling-asides, according to the wealth of His grace ^.8of-which He exceeded into us in all wisdom and thoughtfulness,

It is within the sphere of action of Christ that we (holy-people, Christians)...

have the full redemption (the complete releasing or liberation on receipt of ransom away from captivity or bondage with its due guilt and punishment because of sin)
- by means of (through)
- the shedding of Jesus Christ's blood (the price of the redemption),
the dismissal (the discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed)
- of the falling-asides (the actions of falling aside from the truth of God's Word, going aside from what is right),
in accordance with the wealth (richness) of God's grace
- which God exceeded (abounded)
- into us holy-people
  - in all/every wisdom (the skillful and expert application of personal knowledge, doing what is required concerning a specific situation or circumstance)
  - and thoughtfulness (thinking in the mind, the sensible and intellectual thoughts regarding what He intended to do).

God did not just sit somewhere and think about it and never actually do anything regarding what He knew to be right - God did it - He performed His intention.

Colossians 1:14 - noun: aphesis

Colossians 1:13 and 14:

^.13Who rescued us out-from the authority of the darkness and changed (our) standing-place into the kingdom of the son of His love¹ ^.14in whom we have the full-redemption, the dismissal of the sins,

Paul writes about what the only true God and the Lord Jesus Christ have accomplished:

God is the One Who has rescued us (He has already delivered all holy-people)
- out from being inside of the authority of the darkness (the authoritative power belonging-to and proceeding-from the devil/satan's spirit realm, the total absence of light having rejected God Who is Light)
and God has changed our standing place (He made us to stand in another place, He caused us to stand somewhere other than in darkness, He removed or transferred us)
- into the kingdom of the son of His love
- and it is within the sphere of action of the Lord Jesus Christ that
  - we have the full redemption,
  - and the dismissal of the sins (the discharge, setting free, leaving or letting go from concern, acquittal, remission of debt or punishment owed because of the sins committed).

The Lord Jesus Christ is God's son, and Christ continues to be loved by God. When God raised His son up from being among the dead-people He placed him into the position of being the authority of His kingdom, and so at the moment it is Christ's kingdom. Christ is second in command to God and is subject to none except God Himself! We are now in/within the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is where we belong. This is where we are standing. This is our position. This is where we have our life. This is where we live our life. Christ is our life from God's viewpoint because we have the spirit of Christ within us, holy spirit-life.

James 5:15 - verb: aphiemi

James 5:14-16a:

^.14Is someone weak among you? He must call-towards-himself the elders of the church, and they must pray on him having anointed (him) with olive-oil in the name of the Lord, ^.15and the (vowed) prayer of the belief will save the (person) being-weary and the Lord will raise him up, and if-ever he may be having done² sins they will be dismissed from him. ^.16Therefore you must expressly-agree with one-another (regarding) the sins and you must pray on behalf of one-another so-that you may be healed.

Is someone weak (without strength, feeble) among you? Since he is weak and therefore needs help from others – he must call (invite) the elders of the church (the elder men belonging to the assembly of holy-people) towards himself.

The "elders" in this context refer to those having more knowledge, wisdom, dignity, etc, relative to God and the things of God; elders in service to/for God and the Lord Jesus Christ (not the literal meaning of being older in age than other people). The elders were assigned to take care of the other believers within each community. References: Acts 11:30, 14:23, 15:2, 20:17, 21:18; I Timothy 4:14, 5:17; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1.

A person who is weak among you must call towards himself the elders of the church. Then they must pray on him (the elders must communicate to/with God relating to this weak person)…

after they have anointed (smeared) him
- with olive-oil (which was used as the best therapeutic treatment available at that time for health to those physically weak and/or downcast due to weariness to refresh or uplift them)…

…and the elders do all of this – in the name of the Lord.

And in addition…

the vowed prayer (this refers to what the weak person and the elders openly express as being their prayerful wish or desire of commitment as a vow towards God - they would perform their part according to verse 14 and then God via the Lord Jesus Christ would perform His part according to verse 15)
- consisting of the belief (the faith, trust, the information that God makes known to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety)
will save (make safe)
- the person who is weary (overworked, exhausted from labor – in this context meaning that he will be healed so that his life will no longer be in jeopardy)
and the Lord
- will raise him up (this person will be raised up from the physical and/or mental state of being weak from the weariness that he was in),
and if it should ever happen that this person would be in the state of having performed sins (by behaving badly since he became a holy-person, a Christian) and he would still be accountable for them
- they will be dismissed from him (his sins will be remitted from him so that he will not receive the physical punishment during the everyday living of his life which is rightly due to him).

Following on logically, you must be in full agreement with one-another regarding the sins. This does not mean that you should tell everybody all the sins you can remember committing (if you did that, it might be a very depressing experience for all listening to you, to say the least) – but you should assent with intensity and completely agree that you have committed sins against God and one-another in the walk (behavior, conduct) category.

You must expressly agree with one-another regarding the sins…

and you must pray (this is the verb form of "prayer" in verse 15 above, meaning: you must express your prayerful wish or desire of your commitment as a vow) in the interests of one another
- in such a manner that you may be healed (you would be caused to recover from illness).

I John 1:9 - verb: aphiemi

I John 1:6-10:

^.6If-ever we may say that we have a sharing-in-common with Him and we may walk in the darkness, we lie and we do not do the truth; ^.7but if-ever we may walk in the light as He is in the light, we have a sharing-in-common with one-another and the blood of Jesus His son cleans us from all sin. ^.8If-ever we may say that we do not have sin, we cause ourselves to wander and the truth is not in us. ^.9If-ever we may express-agreement (regarding) our sins, He is believable and righteous in order that He may dismiss from us the sins and He may clean us from all unrighteousness. ^.10If-ever we may say that we did not sin², we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

In verse 9 John writes that if it should ever happen that…

we would be expressing agreement that we have committed sins against God (by behaving badly since we became holy-people, Christians),
- He is believable (God is faithful, trustworthy; we can rely on God’s words and actions)
- and righteous (God is just, in the state of justness in what He says and does)
  - for the purpose and result that
  - He may dismiss from us the sins (God would remit the sins that we committed in the walk category from us so that we will not receive the punishment which is rightly due to us for the sinful actions)
  - and He may clean us from all unrighteousness (God would make us free from all mixture, cause us not to be mixed with every injustice, the state of not being just/right in the walk category).

II Corinthians 2:7 and 10 - verb: charizomai

II Corinthians 2:6-8:

^.6this censure, the (censure) by more-people, (is) sufficient to the-person-of-this-kind,^.7so-that contrariwise rather (for) you to graciously-forgive and to encourage (him) lest-somehow with more-exceeding sorrow the-person-of-this-kind may be swallowed, ^.8on-which-account I encourage you to confirm love¹ into him;

One of the holy-people (Christians) within the church in Corinth had definitely caused all the other holy-people sorrow (grief) around the time of Paul’s writing of his first letter to them, and he specifically addressed that situation in it (refer to I Corinthians chapter 5).

However, the effects of what had happened were still lingering on among that Christian community and so it continued to cause sorrow among all of them. These Corinthians had heeded what Paul had written in his first letter to them as to what should be done regarding this situation, however, they were still carrying it around in their minds and it was affecting them during their everyday living of life.

They continued to evidence the result of their original sorrow towards that person which had turned into a censure. They were imposing a judicial infliction on him, as though it was their duty to carry out some kind of punishment towards him for what he had previously committed against God and His people - but for which he was now sorry!

In verse 7 of this letter, Paul advises them...

to graciously forgive (to bestow unmerited favor, to grace another, and in this context it is the grace of forgiveness, to willingly give forgiveness)
and to encourage that holy-person (exhort him, call him beside you as a father and mother invites their children near them to help them to do that-which is right)
- lest in some manner he would be swallowed
  - with/by more abundant sorrow (more than above the measure of grief already attained by him).

That person would be so completely overcome with sorrow that he could not bear it and therefore he would not walk in the greatness of God's Word, which he also had been taught, regarding his having been forgiven by God in the walk (behavior, conduct) category following his agreement that his sinful behavior was wrong (refer to I John 1:9) and for-which he is now sorry.

Paul continues: wherefore, I encourage you holy-people...

to confirm (validate, authenticate, remove any doubts by a lordly or masterly authoritative action, ratify)
- your Godly-love directed to him.

They were to give him their assurance of their Godly-love towards him evidencing it, having graciously forgiven him and encouraging him in the truth of God's Word.

Look at how tender, loving, forgiving and encouraging Paul is towards all of these holy-people (Christians), including the person who had committed such a terrible act against God and His children - but who had truly become sorrowful about what he had done and therefore his wrongful behavior was forgiven!

We need to remember that once a person becomes a holy-person (a Christian) he remains holy because he has received the gift of holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot lose his holy spirit-life, and so he has already been judged in Christ spiritually from God's point of view. However, his walk with and for God, his close-fellowship relationship with God, may fluctuate quite a lot! It is in the walk (behavior, conduct) category that a holy-person may be forgiven of his sinful behavior during the everyday living of his life - because in God’s viewpoint in the spirit category he has already been forgiven and he is a son of the only true God and that is not going to change.

In verse 10 Paul again writes about graciously forgiving someone:

Verses 10 and 11:

^.10but to whom you graciously-forgive something I also, for that-which I also graciously-forgave², since I graciously-forgave² something, (it is) because-of you in (the) face of Christ ^.11in order that we may not be covetously-claimed-as-more by satan, for we do not not-know his mindful-devices.

Paul assures them that...

to whom (here referring to that holy-person who had previously committed fornication within the church and who was now sorry for his actions)
- you holy-people graciously forgive (bestow unmerited favor, grace him with the grace of forgiveness, willingly give forgiveness)
  - regarding that situation,
so do I graciously forgive that holy-person regarding that thing.

Why? In truth, that-which I also have graciously forgiven, and there is no doubt but that I have graciously forgiven that thing...

it is on account of you holy-people in the face of Christ (face-to-face with, before the eyes of, in full view of the resurrected Christ)
for the purpose and result that we (all of us holy-people, including that person who committed that fornication in the Corinthian church but who is now sorry for his actions)
- would not be covetously claimed as more by satan.

The verb translated "covetously claimed as more" by satan means: caused to be taken advantage of by the active power of satan, whereby he gets more of something than he is rightfully due in the form of some so-called 'gain' for himself, whereby satan attains his covetousness, his constantly wanting to have more, his greediness, always intentionally grasping and reaching out to get something else. Here in this context, satan is grasping to take control and make a prey of as many holy-people in the walk (behavior, conduct) category as he can!

We must understand that satan (the name emphasizing the devil's opposing and adversarial attributes) cannot take control of the holy spirit-life within any holy-person (sanctified person, Christian, saint, child of the only true God). But, if any holy-person allows satan to do his will then he can claim that holy-person as more of his covetousness during the everyday of living of that holy-person's physical, fleshy life in the walk (behavior, conduct) category.

The devil or any of his devil-spirits (demons) cannot possess, cannot go-inside-of the holy-person’s body because every holy-person is already filled with the spirit of Christ in him/her – but the devil or his devil-spirits can influence us in the flesh category by using various methods – only if we allow them to do so.

Paul continues teaching as to why holy-people ought to graciously forgive others who are genuinely sorry for their misbehavior agreeing that indeed it was wrong:

in truth, all of us holy-people do not not-know (notice the double negative which gives great emphasis to what Paul is writing – we are not unknowing, not ignorant, not unaware of)
- satan's mindful devices (the contrivances or products of his mind's thinking, the plans issuing from the action of his mind).

In this situation for the Corinthian holy-people, they were not ignorant of satan's stratagem because Paul had received information from God and/or from the Lord Jesus Christ and Paul had told them what they were doing and what they should do instead to get out of their wrong behavior. He taught them God's Word, God's intention, God's will for His children which included how they were to manifest Godly-love towards one-another in that situation.

It is the same today for every holy-person: we do not not-know satan's mindful devices - in other words - we do know what satan does, which is to cause us to not-behave in accordance with what God says, to side-track us away from God's Word, to beguile us, so that satan can covetously claim us as more.

The only true God has given and continues to give us a lot of information so that we can know what God's intention is about many, many things. None of us holy-people can claim ignorance saying, "oh, I didn't know that! There’s no way I could have known!" We have...

the previously-revealed written Word of God,
and we can receive specific information from God and from the Lord Jesus Christ regarding various situations and circumstances via our holy spirit-life,
and we can receive God’s and our Lord’s specific words to us from another holy-person if God or our Lord were to instruct that holy-person to tell us something.

It is up to each one of us to accept and believe and obey these words, no matter how God communicates His intention to us.

Ephesians 4:32 - verb: charizomai

Ephesians 4:31 and 32:

^.31all bitterness and rage and wrath and crying-out and blasphemy must be lifted away-from you together with all badness; ^.32you must become benevolent into one-another, well-compassionate, graciously-forgiving yourselves according as also God in Christ graciously-forgave you.

The various forms of behavior listed in verse 31 do not automatically just lift themselves up and remove themselves from you the instant you become a holy-person (Christian)! They must be removed, lifted and carried away from you - you do the taking up and away from yourselves in your behavior.

God does not overstep our freedom of will. It is up to each one of us to do what God says. We have to make up our own minds to walk (behave, conduct ourselves) correctly.

Verse 32 continues that holy-people must become…

benevolent (cause yourselves to become kind, supply what is appropriately needed for use in specific situations, cause kindness to come into being among you),
well compassionate (a yearning to help from deep within, to feel the bowels of your being, the inner self, the emotion and attitude of wanting to assist another to that-which is well from God's viewpoint)
- directed to one-another,
graciously forgiving yourselves (bestowing unmerited favor towards yourselves, gracing yourselves with the grace of forgiveness, willingly give forgiveness to one-another including yourself, not only forgiving others but also forgiving yourself with gracefulness)
- according as also God has already given you grace (He has bestowed the grace, the favor of forgiveness for your sins upon all of you, He pardoned you)
  - within the sphere of action of Christ (because Christ is the one who paid the price and made redemption and salvation available).

Colossians 2:13 - verb: charizomai

Colossians 2:13-15:

^.13even you being dead to the falling-asides and the uncircumcision of your flesh He made you alive-together with him having graciously-forgiven us all the falling-asides, ^.14having wiped-out the handwriting against us with decrees which used-to-be contrary to us and He lifted² it out-from the midst having nailed it to the cross, ^.15having unclothed-away the rulerships and the authorities (from us) and He pointed-out in boldness having triumphed them in him.

In this letter to the Colossian holy-people (Christians) of the Gentile background, Paul writes that...

God made you alive together (He made you living, He has given you life together, in conjunction with one-another, jointly)
- with Christ
having graciously forgiven us (God has bestowed unmerited favor to us who are holy-people, the grace of forgiveness, He willingly gave forgiveness to us, He has forgiven us)
- all the falling-asides from God’s truth –
- how? -
having wiped out (God erased, blotted out, smeared and completely obliterated)
- the handwriting (the hand-written document, the bond or certificate of debt)
  - which was against us with/by its decrees (ordinances, opinions or dogmas),
- the handwriting
  - which was during a past time contrary (covertly opposing, stealthily adverse) to us,
and God lifted it and it is still lifted (taken up and carried)
- out from the midst (the middle, from our presence)
  - having nailed it to the cross (God affixed it with nails fastening it to the stake on which His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was crucified and died),
having unclothed away (God has taken the following away from being on or over us, as stripping off one's garments and putting them away)
- the rulerships and the authorities (those in the first-placed, chief or dignified hierarchical positions and those with authoritative powers)
  - from us,
and God actively pointed out (He made an example pointing out as with His finger)
- in boldness (within freedom, frankness, openness of speech)
- having triumphed them in him
- - in whom? -
  - in Christ.

God led them in His triumphal procession within Christ. God held them in triumph, as in a Roman triumph where the victor or conqueror leads his captives, both those who are to be spared and saved and those who are to be destroyed - in a triumphal procession. This context indicates that these rulerships and authorities were those to be destroyed and thus were openly shown to public infamy.

The reference to having wiped out the handwriting which was against us with its decrees is a figurative illustration of what God did for us by means of the Lord Jesus Christ. In olden times and during the writing of this letter by Paul it was the law that any debt owed by individuals or families would be posted at the entrance to the village or city in which they lived so that others may know to beware of them or indeed to help them if they so desired. If another person or group of people paid the price which was owed by someone whose name was hand written on this notice of debts owed, then the elders/law-makers would smear over all the debts against that person, double or fold-over the sheet of paper and nail it back as a clean sheet of paper - the slate is wiped clean! This man/woman/family would then be free from any debts because the price has been paid!

Who was it who paid the price for us to be free from our debts which we owed to God? The Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for all of mankind when he died on the cross and now it is up to each individual to believe what God says He has done by means of His son and to receive the benefits which are now made available.

God unclothed away the rulerships and the authorities which used to be in control over us and God made an example and showed them to public infamy. And - God did this in or within boldness! God did not tiptoe around or want to do it quietly so as for nobody to notice what He had done – no! God did what He did openly - He was not keeping it quiet! God's own rulership and authority was triumphant over those rulers and authorities, and He held them up as a public disgrace in His triumphal procession. God has triumphed over everything which was in the hand-written document which was against us. How? In Christ.

Colossians 3:13 - verb: charizomai

Colossians 3:12 and 13:

^.12therefore you must clothe-yourselves-with – as selected-people of God, holy-people, also having been loved^1,2 – inner-parts of pity, benevolence, humbleness-of-mind, meekness, patience, ^.13holding-yourselves-up-with one-another and graciously-forgiving yourselves if-ever someone may have a cause-for-blame towards someone, according as also the Lord graciously-forgave you thus also you (must graciously-forgive),

Paul continues in verse 13 about the walk (behavior, conduct) category:

You must continue holding yourselves in an upright position with one-another (putting up with, enduring and sustaining each other, all inclusive)
and graciously forgiving yourselves (bestowing unmerited favor, gracing yourselves with the grace of forgiveness, willingly give forgiveness to one-another including yourself)
- if it should happen that someone of you would have a cause for blame (a fault found)
  - towards someone among you,
according as also the Lord graciously forgave you
- in this manner also you must graciously forgive.

All holy-people (Christians) have believed what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and so we have received the gift of holy spirit which is the spirit of Christ in us. God has graciously forgiven us in Christ. Spiritually we have no sin and cannot sin because our holy spirit-life does not sin against God – but in the walk (behavior, conduct) category we have freedom of will and we should do what God wants us to do towards one-another.