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John 20:23

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— “If you forgive the sins of any, [their sins] have been forgiven them; if you retain the [sins] of any, they have been retained.”
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— Whosesoever sins ye shall remit, they are remitted unto them, whosesoever ye shall retain, they are retained.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— if of any ye may loose the sins, they are loosed to them; if of any ye may retain, they have been retained.'
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit, they are remitted vnto them: and whosoeuers sinnes ye reteine, they are reteined.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— Whose soeuer sinnes yee remit, they are remitted vnto them, and whose soeuer sinnes yee retaine, they are retained.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— If you forgive a man his sins, they shall be forgiven to him; and if you withhold forgiveness of a man's sins, they are kept.
John Etheridge Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1849)
— if you forgive sins to a man, they shall be forgiven to him; and if you retain (the sins) of a man, they are retained.
James Murdock Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1852)
— If ye shall remit sins to any one, they will be remitted to him; and if ye shall retain [those] of any one, they will be retained.

Strong's Numbers & Red-LettersGreek New TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
Whose y5100
[5100] Standard
τὶς
tis
{tis}
An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.
soever 302
{0302} Prime
ἄν
an
{an}
A primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty.
x5100
(5100) Complement
τὶς
tis
{tis}
An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.
sins 266
{0266} Prime
ἁμαρτία
hamartia
{ham-ar-tee'-ah}
From G0264; sin (properly abstract).
ye remit, 863
{0863} Prime
ἀφίημι
aphiemi
{af-ee'-ay-mee}
From G0575 and ἵημι [[hiemi]] (to send; an intensive form of εἶμι [[eimi]] (to go)); to send forth, in various applications.
z5632
<5632> Grammar
Tense - Second Aorist (See G5780)
Voice - Active (See G5784)
Mood - Subjunctive (See G5792)
Count - 449
they are remitted 863
{0863} Prime
ἀφίημι
aphiemi
{af-ee'-ay-mee}
From G0575 and ἵημι [[hiemi]] (to send; an intensive form of εἶμι [[eimi]] (to go)); to send forth, in various applications.
z5743
<5743> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774)
Voice - Passive (See G5786)
Mood - Indicative (See G5791)
Count - 271
unto them; 846
{0846} Prime
αὐτός
autos
{ow-tos'}
From the particle αὖ [[au]] (perhaps akin to the base of G0109 through the idea of a baffling wind; backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the compound of G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons.
[and] whose y5100
[5100] Standard
τὶς
tis
{tis}
An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.
soever 302
{0302} Prime
ἄν
an
{an}
A primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty.
x5100
(5100) Complement
τὶς
tis
{tis}
An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.
[sins] ye retain, 2902
{2902} Prime
κρατέω
krateo
{krat-eh'-o}
From G2904; to use strength, that is, seize or retain (literally or figuratively).
z5725
<5725> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774)
Voice - Active (See G5784)
Mood - Subjunctive (See G5792)
Count - 352
they are retained. 2902
{2902} Prime
κρατέω
krateo
{krat-eh'-o}
From G2904; to use strength, that is, seize or retain (literally or figuratively).
z5769
<5769> Grammar
Tense - Perfect (See G5778)
Voice - Passive (See G5786)
Mood - Indicative (See G5791)
Count - 215
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

John 20:23

_ _ Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, etc. — In any literal and authoritative sense this power was never exercised by one of the apostles, and plainly was never understood by themselves as possessed by them or conveyed to them. (See Matthew 16:19). The power to intrude upon the relation between men and God cannot have been given by Christ to His ministers in any but a ministerial or declarative sense — as the authorized interpreters of His word, while in the actings of His ministers, the real nature of the power committed to them is seen in the exercise of church discipline.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on John 20:19-25.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

John 20:23

Whose soever sins ye remit — (According to the tenor of the Gospel, that is, supposing them to repent and believe) they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain (supposing them to remain impenitent) they are retained. So far is plain. But here arises a difficulty. Are not the sins of one who truly repents, and unfeignedly believes in Christ, remitted, without sacerdotal absolution? And are not the sins of one who does not repent or believe, retained even with it? What then does this commission imply? Can it imply any more than, A power of declaring with authority the Christian terms of pardon; whose sins are remitted and whose retained? As in our daily form of absolution; and A power of inflicting and remitting ecclesiastical censures? That is, of excluding from, and re — admitting into, a Christian congregation.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

John 20:23

(6) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.

(6) The publishing of the forgiveness of sins by faith in Christ, and the setting forth and proclaiming the wrath of God in retaining the sins of the unbelievers, is the sum of the preaching of the gospel.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance

Matthew 16:19 And 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.
Matthew 18:18 Verily 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.
Mark 2:5-10 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. ... But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Acts 2:38 Then 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.
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Acts 13:38-39 Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: ... And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
1 Corinthians 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Corinthians 2:6-10 Sufficient to such a man [is] this punishment, which [was inflicted] of many. ... To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];
1 Timothy 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Mt 16:19; 18:18. Mk 2:5. Ac 2:38; 10:43; 13:38. 1Co 5:4. 2Co 2:6. Ep 2:20. 1Ti 1:20.

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