Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Parallel translations
- WEB If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”
- BSB If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
- NKJV If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
- NASB If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
- NLT If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus gives the disciples authority concerning the forgiveness of sins. The church proclaims forgiveness in his name.
Overview
This authority is understood by most Protestants not as the disciples deciding sins on their own, but as faithfully announcing God's forgiveness to those who repent and believe, and warning those who refuse. The Greek tense suggests the church declares what God has already determined. Thus the gospel is entrusted to Christ's people, who proclaim pardon through faith in him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 18:18Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
- Matt 16:19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
- Mark 2:5–10When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
- Acts 13:38–39Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
- Acts 10:43To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
- Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- 2 Cor 2:6–10Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
- 1 Tim 1:20Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
- 1 Cor 5:4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Eph 2:20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 20:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.