New English Translation
John 20:23
23If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.”
John 20:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
- New International Version (NIV)If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
- New King James Version (NKJV)If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Context of John 20:23
21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” 24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!”
Read all of John 20John 20:23 word by word
ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφέωνται αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for John 20:23
- Matthew 16:19I 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.”
- Matthew 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.
- Mark 2:5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
- Acts 2:38Peter 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.
- Acts 10:43About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
- Acts 13:38Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
- 1 Corinthians 5:4When 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,
- 2 Corinthians 2:6This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him,
- Ephesians 2:20because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
- 1 Timothy 1:20Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Commentaries on John 20:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Whose soever sins ye remit - See the notes on Matthew 16:19; Matthew 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Whose soever sins - See the notes at Matthew 16:19; Matthew 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 special authority. If Peter, as the Papists pretend, had been appointed to any special 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-25Verses 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 Christ's disciples, when…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23If you forgive anyone his sins: The work of Christ’s followers continues the work of Christ. They do not give or take away God’s forgiveness on their own. Instead, they act according to the guidance of Jesus through the Holy Spirit (15:5; 14:31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2319-23. 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 "opened their understandings to understand the scriptures" (Lu 24:45).Read the comment
Topics related to John 20:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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