To forgive means to excuse someone who has offended us or not to consider their fault. In the Bible, the Greek word translated "forgive" literally means "to let in," as when a person stops demanding that he be paid a debt. Jesus used this comparison in teaching his disciples to pray: "Forgive us our sins, because we ourselves also forgive everyone who owes us" (Luke 11: 4). Similarly, in the parable of the slave who showed no mercy, Jesus explained that forgiveness is like the cancellation of a debt (Matthew 18: 23-35).