"Forgive us our Debts, as We Forgive our Debtors"

Some Christians say "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Which is it:

Is there anything else in the Bible about canceling debts?

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
       18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
       Because He has anointed Me
      To preach the gospel to the poor;
      He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
      To proclaim liberty to the captives
      And recovery of sight to the blind,
      To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
       19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

What is the "acceptable year" of the Lord?

Leviticus 25:35-41
35 ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 36 Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. 37 You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
39 ‘And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. 40 As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you, and shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 And then he shall depart from you—he and his children with him—and shall return to his own family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers.

Which is easier:  forgiving someone who, maybe, says something bad about you, or canceling a debt he owes you?

"Forgive us our Debts..."

Debts = Opheilema

Matthew 6:12 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

also found in:

Romans 4:4 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

"as we forgive our debtors."

Debtors = Opheiletes

  1. one who owes another, a debtor
    1. one held by some obligation, bound by some duty
    2. one who has not yet made amends to whom he has injured:
      1. one who owes God penalty or whom God can demand punishment as something due, i.e. a sinner

also found in:

Matthew 18:24 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Luke 13:4 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek] (New American Standard Version)
"Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?
Romans 1:14 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Romans 8:12 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Romans 15:27 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
Ga 5:3 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

See also:

Opheile

Matthew 18:32 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Romans 13:7 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
1Corinthians 7:3 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek] (New American Standard Version)
The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

All of these words are from

Opheilo
  1. to owe
    1. to owe money, be in debt for
      1. that which is due, the debt
  2. metaph. the goodwill due
Matthew 18:28 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Matthew 18:30 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Matthew 18:34 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Matthew 23:16 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Matthew 23:18 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Luke 7:41 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
Luke 11:4 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 16:5 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
Luke 16:7 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
Luke 17:10 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
John 13:14 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
IfI then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
John 19:7 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Acts 17:29 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Romans 13:8 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Romans 15:1 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Romans 15:27 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
1 Corinthians 5:10 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
1 Corinthians 7:3 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
1 Corinthians 7:36 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
1 Corinthians 9:10 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
1 Corinthians 11:7 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
1 Corinthians 11:10 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
2 Corinthians 12:11 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: forI ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing amI behind the very chiefest apostles, thoughI be nothing.
2 Corinthians 12:14 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Behold, the third timeI am ready to come to you; andI will not be burdensome to you: forI seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
Ephesians 5:28 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
2 Thessalonians 2:13 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Philemon 1:18 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
Hebrews 2:17 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 5:3 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
Hebrews 5:12 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
1 John 2:6 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
1 John 3:16 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1 John 4:11 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
3 John 1:8 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Greek]
We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

Immediately after "the Lord's Prayer, Jesus says,

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Whether "debts" is economic or personal/spiritual, this is the part of Jesus' teaching that makes the most people uncomfortable.