And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man; that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins.

And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your offences.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

'And whenever ye may stand praying, forgive, if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses;

But whenever you stand praying, if you have a grievance against any one, forgive it, so that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your offences."

And whenever you make a prayer, let there be forgiveness in your hearts, if you have anything against anyone; so that you may have forgiveness for your sins from your Father who is in heaven.

And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your sins.

"And, whenever you stand up to pray, forgive any grievance that you have against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven also may forgive you your offenses."

Here Christ only explains the reason why that condition was added, Forgive us, as we forgive The reason is, that God will not be ready to hear us, unless we also show ourselves ready to grant forgiveness to those who have offended us. If we are not harder than iron, this exhortation ought to soften us, and render us disposed to forgive offenses. [1] Unless God pardon us every day many sins, we know that we are ruined in innumerable ways: and on no other condition does he admit us to pardon, but that we pardon our brethren whatever offenses they have committed against us. Those who refuse to forget the injuries which have been done to them, devote themselves willingly and deliberately to destruction, and knowingly prevent God from forgiving them. [2]

Footnotes

1 - "Pour nous rendre faciles a oublier les injures qu'on nous a faites." -- "To make us ready to forget the injuries which have been done to us."

2 - "Et de propos delibere veulent que Dieu procede contre eux en toute rigueur;" -- "and deliberately resolve that God may proceed against them to the utmost rigor."

And when ye stand praying - When ye pray. It seems that the posture in prayer was sometimes standing and sometimes kneeling. God looks upon "the heart" rather than upon our position in worship; and if the heart be right, any posture may be proper. It cannot be doubted, however, that in private, in the family, and wherever it can be conveniently done, the kneeling posture is more proper, as expressing more humility and reverence, and more in accordance with Scripture examples. Compare Psalm 95:6; 2-Chronicles 6:13; Daniel 6:10; Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; Acts 9:40. Yet a subject like this may be made of too much consequence, and we should be careful that anxiety about a mere form should not exclude anxiety about a far more important matter - the state of the soul.
Forgive - See the notes at Matthew 6:12, Matthew 6:25.

When ye stand praying - This expression may mean no more than, When ye are disposed, or have a mind, to pray, i.e. whenever ye perform that duty. And it is thus used and explained in the Koran, Surat. v. ver. 7. See on Matthew 21:20-22 (note). But the Pharisees loved to pray standing, that they might be seen of men.

And when (g) ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
(g) When you will appear before the altar.

And when ye stand praying,.... Are about to engage in that work, or are engaged in it, performing it in such a posture; for standing was an usual posture in praying; See Gill on Matthew 6:5;
forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father also in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. The sense is, that if, while a man is praying, it comes into his mind that such an one has committed a trespass against him, has done him an injury, of which he has just reason to complain; but instead of complaining of it before God, and calling upon him to avenge his cause, he should immediately in his heart, and from his heart, forgive him, even though he is not present to acknowledge his sin, and ask his pardon; and such an one may expect forgiveness of God, and a manifestation of it to his soul; which is one the things he is constantly praying for, as his daily case makes it necessary: not that it is to be understood as though his for, giving the person that has offended him, is the cause, or condition, of his receiving remission of sin at the hand of God; for then it would not be through the blood of Christ, and according to the riches of his grace; but this points at a temper and disposition of mind well pleasing to God, and describes persons who may expect this favour from him; See Gill on Matthew 6:14.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses, &c.--This is repeated from the Sermon on the Mount (see on Matthew 6:12); to remind them that if this was necessary to the acceptableness of all prayer, much more when great things were to be asked and confidently expected.

When ye stand praying, forgive. This is one of the conditions of prevailing prayer. See notes on Matthew 5:23-24.

When ye stand praying - Standing was their usual posture when they prayed. Forgive - And on this condition, ye shall have whatever you ask, with. out wrath or doubting. Matthew 6:14.