11. John 20:23: “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”

The words of men at the Roman Catholic Council of Trent:

“Whosoever shall affirm that the words of the Lord and Saviour, Receive ye the Holy Spirit; whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven, whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained, are not to be understood of the power of forgiving and retaining sins in the sacrament of penance, as the Catholic Church has always from the very beginning understood them, but shall restrict them to the authority of preaching the Gospel, in opposition to the institution of the sacrament, let him be anathema (cursed…italics ours).”

The word of God:

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to  all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Acts 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name all who believe in him may receive forgiveness of sins.

Acts 13:38-41 Be it know therefore to you, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and in him everyone who believes is acquitted of all the things of which you could not be acquitted by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, that what is said in the Prophets may not prove true of you, Behold, you despisers, then wonder in perish, because I work a work in your days, a work which you will not believe, if anyone relates it to you.

In reply to the Philippian jailer who asked, “What must I do to be saved?” the apostle Paul did NOT say, “Confess your sins to me.” He DID say, (Acts 16:31) “...Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy household.”

The gracious words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself should solve the issue to any honest soul:

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.