The same truth is stated in each of these two verses, first negatively (verse 14), then positively (verse 15). A parallel to the positive form appears in Mark 11.25, and some commentators call attention to the similarity between these two verses and Matthew 7.1 (see Luke 6.37), and to their agreement with Matthew 5.22, 45, 48.

Jesus here adds a short comment on the words about forgiveness in verse 12. Revised Standard Version has the transition For. Some languages will not need any transition. For example, Good News Translation in English does not have one. Others will say something like “You can pray like that because.”

We discussed forgive in verse 12.

The Greek word translated trespasses (Good News Translation “wrongs”) is found in Matthew only in these two verses. Elsewhere in the Gospels it is used only once (Mark 11.25; and in some manuscripts in 11.26). Outside the Gospels it appears only in the letters of Paul (Rom 4.25; 5.15, 16, 17, 18, 20; 11.11, 12; 2 Cor 5.19; Gal 6.1; Eph 1.7; 2.1; 2.5; Col 2.13). The word literally means “stepping aside” and is rendered “false step, transgression, sin” by one of the standard lexicons. If you forgive men (Good News Translation “others”) their trespasses is translated “For if you forgive men when they sin against you” by New International Version. New American Bible uses “faults” and New Jerusalem Bible “failings” (Phillips “failures”). However, in the present context a wrong or sin against someone is definitely indicated. This is made clear by your trespasses, which clearly means “your wrongs against your (heavenly) Father.” Trespasses that people commit against you can be “wrongs” or “harm they do you.” Your trespasses, as we explained, refers to “the wrongs you commit against God” or “your sins.” Translators should find Good News Translation or New International Version (cited above) helpful models. “If you forgive people when they do wrong to you” or “If you forgive people for the wrongs they do to you.”

For God to forgive you depends on your forgiving others. This must be clear, as in “then in his turn God your Father in heaven will forgive you your sins” or “then in the same way, your heavenly Father will forgive you your sins.” The same relation holds true in verse 15: “But if you fail to forgive other people when they do wrong to you, your heavenly Father will not forgive you either for your sins against him.”

For comments on heavenly Father, see 5.16.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .