Father, Forgive Them
- Easter Bible Verse for Kids
Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
Luke 23:34 contains what may be the most astonishing words ever spoken. Jesus is on the cross - nails through His hands, a crowd mocking Him, soldiers dividing His clothes beneath Him. And in the middle of all of that, He prays. Not for Himself. Not for rescue. He prays for the very people who put Him there.
For children, this verse opens a window into the deepest truth of Easter - that Jesus did not come to condemn but to forgive. Even at the worst moment in human history, His response was mercy. This is one of the most powerful Easter scriptures for children because it shows forgiveness not as a nice idea but as something Jesus actively chose under the most extreme circumstances imaginable. And because He forgave then, He can forgive anything now - including every mistake any child has ever made.
Luke 23:34 for kids in one sentence: While Jesus was on the cross on Good Friday, He prayed to God to forgive the people hurting Him - showing that His love and forgiveness are bigger than any sin, any mistake, or any hurt that has ever existed.
This short verse carries four ideas that every child can understand and be moved by. Here is each one explained in gentle, clear language:
Father, Forgive Them
Even on the cross, Jesus turned to God in prayer. He did not call for justice or revenge - He asked for forgiveness. This shows that forgiveness was always the plan, always the heart of Easter, from the very beginning.
Love Bigger Than Pain
Jesus was suffering incredibly - yet His thoughts were for others, not Himself. This is love at its most extraordinary. Easter shows children that real love is not just a feeling - it is a choice made even when it costs everything.
They Do Not Know
Jesus gave the people the benefit of the doubt. They did not fully understand who He was or what they were doing. He chose to see their ignorance rather than their guilt. This teaches children to look for the best in people even when they are hurt by them.
Forgiveness for Everyone
If Jesus could forgive the people crucifying Him, He can forgive anything. Every child who has ever done something wrong, said something hurtful, or felt ashamed can know - the same forgiveness Jesus offered from the cross is available to them right now.
💡 Kid-friendly summary: While Jesus was on the cross - the most painful moment of His life - He did not get angry. He prayed for the people hurting Him. He asked God to forgive them. That is how big Easter love is. And that same love and forgiveness is there for every child, every day, no matter what they have done. Forgiveness is always bigger.
This verse is short but packed with meaning. Here is every phrase explained simply for children:
| Part of the Verse | What It Means for Kids |
|---|---|
| "Jesus said" | These are the actual words Jesus spoke from the cross. Not words about Him - words from Him. This is Jesus speaking directly, in real time, in the middle of the worst suffering imaginable. |
| "Father" | Even on the cross, Jesus spoke to God as Father - a word of intimacy, trust, and relationship. He never stopped trusting God. He never stopped praying. Even at His lowest point, He turned toward God. |
| "forgive them" | Not punish them. Not judge them. Forgive them. This is the heart of Easter - God's response to human wrongdoing has always been to offer forgiveness rather than condemnation. |
| "for they do not know" | Jesus gave a reason for mercy - the people did not fully understand what they were doing. He looked for understanding rather than blame. This is what grace looks like in practice. |
| "what they are doing" | The soldiers, the crowd, the religious leaders - none of them fully grasped they were crucifying the Son of God. Jesus used their ignorance as grounds for mercy, not punishment. Easter is God's ultimate answer to human ignorance and failure. |
One of the most important things children can learn from Luke 23:34 is that forgiveness is hardest - and most powerful - when it costs the most. Anyone can forgive a small thing. Forgiving when you are suffering, when you have been genuinely wronged, when the hurt is real and deep - that is a different thing entirely. And that is exactly the kind of forgiveness Jesus chose.
From the cross, Jesus could have called down judgment. He had every right to. Instead He prayed for mercy. This matters enormously for children because they will face moments in life when someone hurts them badly - a broken friendship, a cruel word, an unfair situation. Luke 23:34 gives them a model. Not an easy one, not a comfortable one - but a real one. Jesus did it first. And He offers children the strength to do it too, not through their own willpower, but through His spirit living inside them.
🌸 Easter connection: Isaiah 53:5 tells us Jesus was wounded for our sins. Luke 23:34 shows us that even while those wounds were being inflicted, His response was forgiveness. Good Friday was not just the day Jesus died - it was the day the world saw what forgiveness truly costs, and what it is truly worth.
Forgiveness is a big idea for small hearts. These activities make it personal, practical, and something children can actually experience:
The Torn and Mended Paper Activity 📄
Give each child a piece of paper. Ask them to crumple it up - this represents when someone hurts us or when we do something wrong. Then carefully smooth it out together and tape any tears. Talk about how the paper still has marks - but it is mended. Forgiveness does not erase what happened, but it repairs the relationship. Connect this to Jesus forgiving from the cross.
Forgiveness Letters 💌
Help children write or draw a simple letter to someone they need to forgive or ask forgiveness from. They do not have to send it - the act of writing it is the exercise. Then read Luke 23:34 together and discuss: if Jesus could forgive from the cross, what does that give us the courage to do? This makes the verse directly applicable to their real lives.
The Cross Role Play 🎭
Gently act out the Easter scene. One child stands with arms outstretched as Jesus. Others stand around as the crowd. Jesus says Luke 23:34 - "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Then discuss: how did it feel to hear those words? What is surprising about them? This physical, emotional experience of the verse stays with children far longer than any explanation.
Forgiveness Stones 🪨
Give each child a smooth stone. Ask them to hold it tightly and think of something they are carrying - guilt, hurt, anger. Then ask them to place the stone down and say the words "Father, forgive them" together. Explain that choosing to let go - just like laying down the stone - is what forgiveness feels like. Keep the stones as Easter reminders of what Jesus did and what He gives us strength to do.
They Did Not Know Discussion 🗣️
Have a gentle conversation: have you ever done something wrong without fully understanding the impact? Have you ever hurt someone without meaning to? Jesus said the people who crucified Him "did not know." This discussion opens children to both receiving forgiveness for their own mistakes and extending it to others who hurt them without fully realising. It builds emotional intelligence alongside faith.
🧠 How to Help Kids Memorize Luke 23:34
This verse is beautifully short - children can learn it in one sitting. Try this three-part method:
Part 1: "Jesus said, Father, forgive them" - hands pressed together as in prayer
Part 2: "for they do not know" - hands spread open in a gentle questioning gesture
Part 3: "what they are doing" - arms open wide, palms up, like receiving grace
Say all three parts with the actions three times in a row. The prayer hands, the questioning hands, and the open receiving hands together tell the whole story of the verse physically. Most children memorize Luke 23:34 within a single session using this method - and the physical memory tends to last for years.
A Simple Prayer Based on Luke 23:34
"Dear Jesus, thank You for forgiving even the people who hurt You most. Thank You that Your love on the cross was bigger than any wrongdoing, any mistake, or any pain. Help me to forgive the way You forgive - not because it is easy, but because You give me the strength to do it. And thank You that Your prayer from the cross - Father, forgive them - includes me too. I am forgiven. Amen."
Loved this verse? Here are more Easter scriptures for children from our full collection:
