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Scripture Topic Guide

Bible Verses About Confession To A Priest

Early Christian writings do connect confession with priests or bishops, but mostly in the setting of penance, church discipline, and public reconciliation rather than a clear, universal sacrament of private confession. Cyprian is the strongest witness here, describing confession received by priests and the bishop’s hands laid on penitents, while Peter of Alexandria and the Apostolic Constitutions also link repentance to clerical oversight.

At the same time, many early texts speak of confessing sins directly to the Lord, or of public confession before the Church or authorities, so the evidence is broad but not uniform. The earliest Bible passages in the set support confession of sin and priestly atonement in Israel, but the New Testament material here is thinner on a direct priest-confession pattern.

Overall, the strongest early Christian evidence is for confession, penance, and clerical absolution in church life, with a weaker and more indirect case for the later idea of confession specifically to a priest.

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1 James 5:16 2 Psalms 32:5 3 Proverbs 28:13 4 Jeremiah 14:20 5 Psalms 51:3 6 Jeremiah 3:13 7 Psalms 38:18 8 Leviticus 5:5 9 1 John 1:9 10 Leviticus 4:3

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21 references

Foundation Texts

James 5:16 primary

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Direct New Testament command to confess sins to one another.

Psalms 32:5

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Classic confession-to-God passage.

Proverbs 28:13

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Calls the confessor merciful.

Supporting Passages

Jeremiah 14:20

We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Psalms 51:3

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Jeremiah 3:13

Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Psalms 38:18

For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

Good confession wording, but the verse is not as clear a fit as better Bible cards.

Leviticus 5:5

And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Leviticus 4:3

If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Leviticus 6:7

And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Matthew 3:6

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Leviticus 16:21

And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Priestly confession in the Old Testament, but not Christian practice.

Leviticus 4:14

When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Leviticus 19:22

And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Matthew 10:32

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Acts 19:18

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Luke 12:8

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

1 John 2:1

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

John 20:23

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Authority to remit sins is relevant, but not confession itself.

Romans 10:10

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.