¹⁰ When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit,

⁴ in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church.^[a] I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.

²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

¹⁸ “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid^[a] on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit^[b] on earth will be permitted in heaven.