Verse 23

If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.”

Referenced Verses

  • Matt 16:19 : 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”
  • Matt 18:18 : 18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
  • Acts 10:43 : 43 About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
  • Acts 13:38-39 : 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by this one everyone who believes is justified from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you.
  • Mark 2:5-9 : 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,“Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the experts in the law were sitting there, turning these things over in their minds: 7 “Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Now immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, he said to them,“Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say,‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”– he said to the paralytic–
  • Acts 2:38 : 38 Peter said to them,“Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
  • 2 Cor 2:6-9 : 6 This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, 7 so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this reason also I wrote you: to test you to see if you are obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him– for indeed what I have forgiven(if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ,
  • Eph 2:20 : 20 because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
  • 1 Tim 1:20 : 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
  • 1 Cor 5:4 : 4 When you gather together in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of our Lord Jesus,