The article presents a comparative analysis of the concept of recogni-tion of Paul Ricoeur and the concept of forgiveness V. Yankelevich. The sub-ject of analysis - the phenomena of recognition and forgiveness in the con-text of the discourse of sacrificial love (agapē). The purpose of research - to shape the semantic field philosophemes "forgiveness" and to identify the fea- tures of its similarity with the semantics of the concept of "recognition". As a result, based on the methodology proposed by Paul Ricoeur, studied the phenomena considered as rooted in reciprocity and mutuality as the funda-mental modes of social existence. The importance of justice as a form of mu-tuality in the constitution of forgiveness is showed. Demonstrated dialectic orders equity and reciprocity in the movement of individuals and societies to forgiveness. For example on the phenomenon of forgiveness illustrated the thesis Paul Ricoeur about genuine recognition of kinship with the inherent tendency to agapē gift. Based on this, forgiveness and recognition are con-sidered as a form of transcendence beyond circulating in the community ex-change system. Revealed the role of negative as ontoepistemological founda-tion of recognition and forgiveness. As a result, it concluded on the legality of the interpretation of forgiveness as a figure of recognition in the context of a unifying discourse of sacrificial love.