John 20 · Verse 23

John 20:23

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
John 20:23, King James Version

John 20:23 in other translations

BSBIf you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
WEBIf you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”
ASVwhose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
YLTif of any ye may loose the sins, they are loosed to them; if of any ye may retain, they have been retained.'
DARBYwhose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
BBEAny to whom you give forgiveness, will be made free from their sins; and any from whom you keep back forgiveness, will still be in their sins.
WebsterWhose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

What does John 20:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 20:19-23

Joh 20:19-23. Jesus Appears to the Assembled Disciples. 19-23. the same day at evening, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus--plainly not by the ordinary way of entrance. and saith unto them Peace be unto you--not the mere wish that even His own exalted peace might be theirs (Joh 14:27), but conveying it into their hearts, even as He…

Read the full comment on John 20:19-23 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. Whose soever sins, &c. Mt 16:19 Mt 18:18. It is worthy of remark here that Jesus confers the same power on all the apostles. He gives to no one of them any peculiar authority. If Peter, as the Papists pretend, had been appointed to any peculiar authority, it is wonderful that the Saviour did not here hint at any such pre-eminence. This passage conclusively proves that they were invested with equal power in organizing and governing the church. The authority which he had given Peter to preach the gospel first to the Jews and the Gentiles, does not militate against this. Mt 16:18, Mt 16:19. This authority given them was full proof that they were inspired. The meaning of the passage is not that man can forgive sins--that belongs only to God (Isa 43:23), but that they should be inspired; that in founding the church, and in declaring the will of God, they should be taught by the Holy Ghost to declare on what terms, to what characters, and to what temper of mind God would extend forgiveness of sins. It was not authority to forgive individuals, but to establish in all the churches the terms and conditions on which men might be pardoned, with a promise that God would confirm all that they taught; that all might have assurance of forgiveness who would comply with those terms; and that those who did not comply should not be forgiven, but that their sins should be retained. This commission is as far as possible from the authority which the Roman Catholic claims of remitting sin and of pronouncing pardon.

(z) "Whose soever" Mt 16:19, 18:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Whose soever sins ye remit - See the notes on Mat 16:19; Mat 18:18. It is certain God alone can forgive sins; and it would not only be blasphemous, but grossly absurd, to say that any creature could remit the guilt of a transgression which had been committed against the Creator. The apostles received from the Lord the doctrine of reconciliation, and the doctrine of condemnation. They who believed on the Son of God, in consequence of their preaching, had their sins remitted; and they who would not believe were declared to lie under condemnation. The reader is desired to consult the note referred to above, where the custom to which our Lord alludes is particularly considered. Dr. Lightfoot supposes that the power of life and death, and the power of delivering over to Satan, which was granted to the apostles, is here referred to. This was a power which the primitive apostles exclusively possessed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 20:19-25

This was the first day of the week, and this day is afterwards often mentioned by the sacred writers; for it was evidently set apart as the Christian sabbath, in remembrance of Christ's resurrection. The disciples had shut the doors for fear of the Jews; and when they had no such expectation, Jesus himself came and stood in the midst of them, having miraculously, though silently, opened the doors. It is a comfort to…

Read the full comment on John 20:19-25 →

John 20:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἄνanIfG302
τινωνtinōnof anyG5100
ἀφῆτεaphēteyou may forgiveG863
τὰςtastheG3588
ἁμαρτίας,hamartiassins,G266
ἀφέωνταιapheōntaithey have been forgivenG863
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
ἄνanIfG302
τινωνtinōnanyG5100
κρατῆτε,kratēteyou may retain,G2902
κεκράτηνται.¶kekratēntaithey have been retained.G2902

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 20:23

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Mark 2:5-10

    When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? …

  • Acts 10:43

    To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

  • 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.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:6-10

    Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. …

  • 1 Timothy 1:20

    Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

  • 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,

  • Ephesians 2:20

    And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mt 16:19; 18:18; Mr 2:5-10; Ac 2:38; 10:43; 13:38,39; 1Co 5:4
2Co 2:6-10; Eph 2:20; 1Ti 1:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 20:22

    And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

  • John 20:23

    Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

  • John 20:24

    But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Read all of John 20

John 20:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		A los que remitiereis los pecados, les son remitidos: á quienes los retuviereis, serán retenidos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		À quiconque vous remettrez les péchés, ils sont remis; et à quiconque vous les retiendrez, ils sont retenus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Welchen irgend ihr die Sünden vergebet, denen sind sie vergeben, welchen irgend ihr sie behaltet, sind sie behalten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis: et quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt.