--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lord, forgive them, for they know what…" description: "\"Lord, forgive them, for they know what they do!\" — Karl Kraus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png" --- # Lord, forgive them, for they know what they do! ![“Lord, forgive them, for they know what they do!” quote by Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png) > “Lord, forgive them, for they know what they do!” [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A plea for mercy toward those who act without understanding, highlighting human fallibility. **In simple terms:** Ask forgiveness for those who act unknowingly. Key Takeaway Show compassion to the ignorant. Themes compassion human nature forgiveness Mood reflective empathetic Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - justice system - personal relationships - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral responsibility ignorance Questions to Reflect On - Who do you need to forgive today? - How can you balance compassion with justice? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may enable continued harmful behavior if not paired with accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-know-444748/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Lord Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord-forgive-328191/) ## Related quotes > [The thing I want to really say is that I still mess up. 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And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-shall-be-an-autocrat-that-s-my-trade-and-the-good-lord-will-forgive/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, I plead with you to ask the Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/if-there-be-any-who-nurture-in-their-hearts-the-poisonous-brew-of/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [You know you're both going to mess up endless times and have to apologize and be forgiven and forgive. Know when to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wandini/you-know-you-re-both-going-to-mess-up-endless-times-and-have-to/) [Wandini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wandini/) > [If only you could forgive, I know its hard but here I am asking for forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuts-and-scars/if-only-you-could-forgive-i-know-its-hard-but-here-i-am-asking-for/) [Cuts And Scars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cuts-and-scars/) > [::Sometimes you have to learn how to forgive even though you know you'll never forget ::](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-you-have-to-learn-how-to-forgive-even-though-you-know-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [May the Lord forgive us, may the Gods be with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/may-the-lord-forgive-us-may-the-gods-be-with-us/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [You know it is so true, people hurt u so bad, that they forget what they did, then they try to pretend nothing ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/you-know-it-is-so-true-people-hurt-u-so-bad-that-they-forget-what/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Never go to sleep angry, because you never know if the person youre mad at will wake up the next morning. Always forgive someone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-go-to-sleep-angry-because-you-never-know-if-the-person-youre/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) ## More by Karl Kraus > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I don't like to meddle in my private affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/i-don-t-like-to-meddle-in-my-private-affairs/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [They judge lest they be judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/they-judge-lest-they-be-judged/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I and my public understand each other very well: it does not hear what I say, and I don't say what it wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/i-and-my-public-understand-each-other-very-well-it-does-not-hear-what/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Satire that the censor understands is rightly censored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/satire-that-the-censor-understands-is-rightly-censored/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Hate must make a man productive. Otherwise one might as well love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/hate-must-make-a-man-productive-otherwise-one-might-as-well-love/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [One must read all writers twice--the good as well as the bad. The one kind will be recognized; the other, unmasked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/one-must-read-all-writers-twice-the-good-as-well-as-the-bad-the-one/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Children today laugh at fathers who tell them about dragons. It is necessary to make fear a required subject; otherwise children will never learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/children-today-laugh-at-fathers-who-tell-them-about-dragons-it-is/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The little stations are very proud because the expresses have to pass them by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/the-little-stations-are-very-proud-because-the-expresses-have-to-pass/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The unattractive thing about chauvinism is not so much the aversion to other nations as the love of one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/the-unattractive-thing-about-chauvinism-is-not-so-much-the-aversion/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I have often been asked to be fair and view a matter from all sides. I did so, hoping that something might improve if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/i-have-often-been-asked-to-be-fair-and-view-a-matter-from-all-sides-i/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [In the theater one must sit in such a way that one sees the audience as a dark mass. Then it cannot bother one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/in-the-theater-one-must-sit-in-such-a-way-that-one-sees-the-audience/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Many desire to kill me, and many wish to spend an hour chatting with me. The law protects me from the former.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/many-desire-to-kill-me-and-many-wish-to-spend-an-hour-chatting-with/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) [Explore all 275 Karl Kraus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) ## More Forgive quotes > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Im so sorry,i screwed up again.i didnt meant hurting you.please,forgive me,again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redeyeen/im-so-sorry-i-screwed-up-again-i-didnt-meant-hurting-you-please/) [Redeyeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redeyeen/) > [“He fell back. He had cried out so loud that even if there had been no breach in the wall, I should have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/he-fell-back-he-had-cried-out-so-loud-that-even-if-there-had-been-no/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Ive learned¦ that no matter how good a friend is, theyre going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-learned-that-no-matter-how-good-a-friend-is-theyre-going-to-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [I feel people relate with your entire journey and forgive your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-feel-people-relate-with-your-entire-journey-and-forgive-your/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“By choosing to forgive, you are choosing to love. By choosing to operate in love, you are choosing to operate in an unconditional state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/by-choosing-to-forgive-you-are-choosing-to-love-by-choosing-to/) [Eric Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-watterson/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) [Browse all 3,381 Forgive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Lord, forgive them, for they know what they do!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Kraus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-they-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-they-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/karl-kraus-1128_forgive_lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-the_2564416.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Lord, forgive them, for they know what they do!” — Karl Kraus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Karl Kraus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Lord, forgive them, for they know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-they-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/lord-forgive-them-for-they-know-what-they-do/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```