### 126. Q. What does the fifth petition mean?

**A**. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” means: Because of Christ’s blood, do not impute to us, poor sinners that we are, any of the transgressions we do or the evil that constantly clings to us.<sup>1</sup> Forgive us just as we are fully determined, as evidence of your grace in us, wholeheartedly to forgive our neighbors.<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Ps. 51:1-7](/get-passage/Psalms+51:1-7); [143:2](/get-passage/Psalms+143:2); [Rom. 8:1](/get-passage/Romans+8:1); [1 John 2:1-2](/get-passage/1+John+2:1-2)
<sup>2</sup> [Matt. 6:14-15](/get-passage/Matthew+6:14-15); [18:21-35](/get-passage/Matthew+18:21-35)