Forgiveness in human hands

On the evening of his resurrection, Jesus breathed on his disciples and said: receive the Holy Spirit. These words follow straight after. Forgiven is in a form here that you could read as: then they have already been forgiven. Do people decide for themselves, or do they declare what God has already decided? Interpreters differ on this.

Catholics see in this verse a basis for confession. Protestants often read in it the task of proclaiming forgiveness. Both readings say: forgiveness isn't only something between God and you. Sometimes you need to hear it from another person: you are forgiven. And sometimes you get to be the one who says it.