Instructions for someone who has wronged another (stolen, lied, kept what is not theirs): confess, make full restitution to the injured party, add one fifth more, and bring a sacrifice to the priest as atonement. Justice and repentance are paired, making things right with people is part of making things right with God. If you wronged someone: “I was wrong to take/lie/keep X. I will return it and add 20% to make it right. I am sorry and I ask your forgiveness. I will do Y to make sure this does not happen again.”(For the victim: Forgiveness is hard because it asks the injured person to let go of the desire for retaliation while still honoring the reality of the harm. People worry that forgiving means condoning the act, losing protection, or being vulnerable to repeat harm. Cognitive patterns (blaming, replaying) and unresolved grief make the emotional work slow; often people can decide to forgive before their feelings follow.) If you were wronged and are working toward forgiveness: “I am deeply hurt by what happened. I am choosing to release the desire for revenge, but I need time and these boundaries: [list].”

Jesus blessing a kneeling man holding money bags in a crowded ancient marketplace
Jesus blessing a kneeling man amidst a crowd in an ancient marketplace

Leviticus 6:1-7 Easy: The Lord said to Moses, ‘A person may take something that is not his. Or he may find it and keep it. He may tell his friend that he has not taken it. He might not give him the correct price for something. But then he is not obeying the Lord. A person may speak words that are not true. That is a sin. A person may keep something that belongs to another person. He does not give it back. That is something wrong to do. He might find something and then he might say that it is his. If it is not his, he is not obeying God. He has done something that is wrong. So, he must show that he is sorry. He must give back anything that is not his. He must give back anything that he has found. He must give back anything that he has kept. He must give it to the person to whom it belongs. He must give back everything and one fifth more. He must also, on the same day, give a gift to the Lord.
Father God, give me courage to confess wrongs to You and the humility to make restitution where needed. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.

Two women holding hands and looking at each other, one kneeling and crying, the other sitting and comforting her
Two women share a heartfelt moment as one comforts the other in a cozy living room.