Truly I say to you, All sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and blasphemies with which soever they shall blaspheme:
Matthew 12:31,32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men…
Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Hebrews 6:4-8 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, …
the sons of men
This term refers to humanity in general. It highlights the universal nature of the message, indicating that what follows applies to all people. The phrase "sons of men" is used throughout Scripture to denote human beings, emphasizing their earthly nature and need for divine grace.
will be forgiven
Forgiveness is a central theme in the New Testament, representing God's grace and mercy towards sinners. This promise of forgiveness is foundational to the Christian faith, as it is through Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection that humanity can be reconciled to God. The assurance of forgiveness is a key aspect of the Gospel message.
all sins and blasphemies
This phrase underscores the comprehensive nature of God's forgiveness. "All sins" indicates that no sin is too great to be forgiven, while "blasphemies" specifically refers to speaking irreverently about God. The inclusion of blasphemies highlights the extent of God's grace, as even sins against His name can be forgiven through repentance and faith.
as many as they utter
This emphasizes the limitless scope of God's forgiveness. It suggests that no matter how frequently or severely one sins, forgiveness is available. This reflects the boundless mercy of God and His desire for all to come to repentance. It also serves as a call to humility and repentance, recognizing the need for continual forgiveness in the life of a believer.
Jesus introduces this statement with His familiar “Amen, I say to you,” underscoring its absolute reliability. Whenever He uses this phrase (Matthew 5:18; John 3:3), He is calling us to lean in, because what follows is foundational truth straight from the Lord of heaven and earth. In a world of shifting opinions, these words remind us that we are about to hear something certain, unchanging, and worth building our lives upon.
By choosing this everyday expression, Jesus sweeps in all humanity—ordinary people like us, not spiritual elites. Just as Ezekiel was called “son of man” (Ezekiel 2:1) and Jesus uses “Son of Man” for Himself (Mark 2:28), this phrase highlights both our frailty and His solidarity with us. He does not speak of a distant group; He addresses every person who will ever wrestle with sin and guilt.
The verb is a promise, not a wish. Forgiveness is more than overlooking wrong; it is a complete release, like the east-from-west removal in Psalm 103:12 or the cleansing in 1 John 1:9. God’s heart, shown supremely at the cross (Romans 5:8; Colossians 2:13-14), is eager to pardon. The certainty here combats the lie that some failures place us beyond mercy.
“All” sweeps in every variety of rebellion—private or public, respectable or scandalous. Paul’s past as a blasphemer (1 Timothy 1:13-16) illustrates this breadth: murderous zeal, hateful speech, and yet grace overflowed. Isaiah 1:18 echoes the same offer: though sins are scarlet, they can become white as snow. The scope is staggering—nothing is automatically excluded.
There is no quota that would exhaust divine compassion. Peter’s question about forgiving “up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21-22) receives the answer of seventy-seven, mirroring God’s own limitless grace. Even repeated failures, when brought to Him in repentance, meet the same cleansing flood (Lamentations 3:22-23). This phrase also sets up the solemn warning of the next verse (Mark 3:29): if limitless mercy is rejected, the blame lies with the sinner, not with a stingy God.
Jesus’ declaration in Mark 3:28 is a sweeping assurance that no category or accumulation of sin automatically locks anyone out of God’s forgiveness. Spoken with divine authority, it embraces every human being, promises real pardon, covers every kind of wrongdoing, and extends as often as repentance is sought. Our part is to believe Him, turn to Him, and receive the mercy that never runs dry.
Verse 28. - All their sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, etc. St. Mark adds the words (ver. 30), "Because they said, [ἔλεγον, 'they were saying,'] He hath an unclean spirit." This helps us much to the true meaning of this declaration. Our Lord does not here speak of every sin against the Holy Spirit, but of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. These words of St. Mark point to a sin of the tongue mere especially, although not excluding thoughts and deeds against the Holy Spirit. Observe what these scribes and Pharisees did; they cavilled at works manifestly Divine - works wrought by God for the salvation of men, by which he confirmed his faith and truth. Now, when they spake against these, and knowingly and of malice ascribed them to the evil spirit, then they blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, dishonoring God by assigning his power to Satan. What could be more hateful than this? What greater blasphemy could be imagined? And surely they must be guilty of this sin who ascribe the fruits and actions of the Holy Spirit to an impure and unholy source, and so strive to mar his work and to hinder his influence in the hearts of men.