John 20:23

23 whose sins ye forgive, those be forgiven to them [they be forgiven]; and whose sins ye withhold, those be withheld [they be withholden].

John 20:23 Meaning and Commentary

John 20:23

Whose soever sins ye remit
God only can forgive sins, and Christ being God, has a power to do so likewise; but he never communicated any such power to his apostles; nor did they ever assume any such power to themselves, or pretend to exercise it; it is the mark of antichrist, to attempt anything of the kind; who, in so doing, usurps the divine prerogative, places himself in his seat, and shows himself as if he was God: but this is to be understood only in a doctrinal, or ministerial way, by preaching the full and free remission of sins, through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of God's grace, to such as repent of their sins, and believe in Christ; declaring, that all such persons as do so repent and believe, all their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake: and accordingly,

they are remitted unto them;
in agreement with Christ's own words, in his declaration and commission to his disciples; see ( Mark 16:16 ) ( Luke 24:47 ) . On the other hand he signifies, that

whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained:
that is, that whatsoever sins ye declare are not forgiven, they are not forgiven; which is the case of all final unbelievers, and impenitent sinners; who dying without repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Gospel declaration, shall be damned, and are damned; for God stands by, and will stand by and confirm the Gospel of his Son, faithfully preached by his ministering servants; and all the world will sooner or later be convinced of the validity, truth, and certainty, of the declarations on each of these heads, made by them.

John 20:23 In-Context

21 And he saith to them again, Peace to you; as the Father sent me, I send you. [Therefore he said to them again, Peace to you; as the Father hath sent me, and I send you.]

22 When he had said this, he blew on them, and said, Take ye the Holy Ghost;

23 whose sins ye forgive, those be forgiven to them [they be forgiven]; and whose sins ye withhold, those be withheld [they be withholden].

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, that is said Didymus, was not with them, when Jesus came.

25 Therefore the other disciples said, We have seen the Lord. And he said to them, But I see in his hands the printing of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put mine hand into his side, I shall not believe. [Forsooth he said to them, No but I shall see in his hands the fixing of nails, and shall send my finger into the places of the nails, and shall send mine hand into his side, I shall not believe.]