DAILY TEXT, Monday, February 16, 2026. Forgive us our sins (Luke 11:4).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2026

Monday, February 16, 2026

Forgive us our sins (Luke 11:4).

We alone cannot recover all that Adam and Eve lost (Psalm 49:7-9). Without help, we would have no hope of living forever or being resurrected. We would meet the same end as the animals (Ecclesiastes 3:19; 2 Peter 2:12).

Jehovah, our loving Father, has given us a gift that pays the debt of sin we inherited from Adam. Jesus explained what that gift is: “God loved the world so much that he gave up his only-begotten Son so that no one proving to have faith in him would be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) That gift also enables us to enjoy a good relationship with Jehovah. We can benefit from that wonderful gift and receive forgiveness for our sins. w25.02 2, 3 pars. 3-6

In what sense are sins like debts?

Jesus likened sins to “debts” (Matt. 6:12; Luke 11:4). In other words, when we sin, we incur a debt to Jehovah that we must repay. If he had done nothing to remove that debt, the only way we could repay it would be through death (Rom. 6:7, 23).

What biblical concepts will we analyze in this article, and why?

How can we benefit from this wonderful gift and receive forgiveness for our sins? To find out, this article will examine the following Bible concepts: reconciliation, atonement, propitiation, ransom, redemption, and being declared righteous. Meditating on these concepts will help us to be even more grateful for all that Jehovah has done to forgive us.

What else did Adam and Eve lose? What do the descendants of Adam and Eve desperately need? (Romans 5:10, 11).

Adam and Eve not only lost the possibility of living forever. They also lost their precious relationship with their Father, Jehovah. Before they sinned, they were part of God’s family (Luke 3:38). But when they disobeyed Jehovah, they were expelled from his family. That happened before they had any children (Gen. 3:23, 24; 4:1). For that reason, we, their descendants, need to be reconciled to Jehovah (read Romans 5:10, 11). In other words, we need to restore a good relationship with him. According to one reference work, when this passage speaks of reconciliation, it uses a Greek word that can mean “to make an enemy into a friend.” What is striking is that it was Jehovah who took the initiative to make reconciliation possible. How did he do it?

What is atonement? What is propitiation?

The atonement is the system Jehovah established to restore sinful humans to a right relationship with him. It involves exchanging one thing for another of equal value. In this way, something lost or destroyed can be recovered or replaced. The Christian Greek Scriptures use the word propitiation, which has a similar meaning to atonement (Rom. 3:25, footnote). Propitiation is the way Jehovah makes it possible for a person to be at peace with him and be his friend.

All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2024 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania JW.ORG.