To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Christ;

And to whom you have pardoned any thing, I also. For, what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned any thing, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ.

But to whom ye forgive anything, I also; for I also, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it is for your sakes in the person of Christ;

But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the person of Christ;

And to whom ye forgive anything, I also; for I also, if I have forgiven anything, to whom I have forgiven it, because of you, in the person of Christ, I forgive it,

To whom you forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

When you forgive a man an offence I also forgive it; for in fact what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has always been for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the person of Christ;

But anyone whom you have forgiven of anything, I also forgive. And then, too, anyone I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it was done in the person of Christ for your sakes,

Anyone you forgive, I forgive them, too. Indeed, for my part, whatever I have forgiven (if I have had to forgive anything), I have forgiven for your sakes, in the presence of Christ,

To whom ye forgive. That he might the more readily appease them, he added his vote in support of the pardon extended by them. [1] "Do not hesitate to forgive: I promise that I shall confirm whatever you may have done, and I already subscribe your sentence of forgiveness." Secondly, he says that he does this for their sake; and that too, sincerely and cordially. He had already shown how desirous he was, that the man's welfare should be consulted: he now declares, that he grants this willingly to the Corinthians. Instead of the expression in the sight of Christ, some prefer person, [2] because Paul in that reconciliation was in the room of Christ, [3] and did in a manner represent his person. [4] I am, however, more inclined to understand him as declaring, that he forgives sincerely and without any pretence. For he is accustomed to employ this phrase to express pure and undisguised rectitude. If, however, any one prefers the former interpretation, it is to be observed that the person of Christ is interposed, because there is nothing that ought to incline us more to the exercise of mercy.

Footnotes

1 - "A ce pecheur;" -- "To this offender."

2 - "Aucuns aiment mieux dire, En la personne de Christ;" -- "Some prefer to say, In the person of Christ."

3 - "Estoit comme lieutenant de Christ;" -- "Was as it were Christ's lieutenant."

4 - Raphelius, in his Semicent. Annot., quotes a passage from Eusebius, (Hist. Eccl. lib. in. cap. 38,) in which he makes mention of the Epistle of Clement, hen ek prosopou tos'" Romaion 'Ekklesias" tho Korinthion dietuposato -- "which he wrote in the name of the Church of the Romans to that of the Corinthians." -- Ed.

To whom ye forgive anything - The sense here is, "I have confidence in you as a Christian society and such confidence, that if you forgive an offence in one of your members, I shall approve the act, and shall also be ready to forgive." He refers, doubtless, to this particular case; but he makes his remark general. It is implied here, I think, that the Corinthians were disposed to forgive the offending brother; and Paul here assures them that they had his hearty assent to this, and that if they did forgive him, he was ready to join them in the act, and to forgive him also.
For if I forgave anything - If I forgive anything; if I remit any of the punishments which have been inflicted by my authority.
For your sakes - It is not on account of the offender alone; it is in order to promote the happiness and purity of the church.
In the person of Christ - Locke paraphrases this, "By the authority, and in the name of Christ." Doddridge," As in the person of Christ, and by the high authority with which he has been pleased to invest me." Tyndale, "In the room of Christ." The word rendered "person" (Margin, "sight," πρόσωπον prosōpon, from πρός pros and ὤψ ōps), means properly the part toward, at, and around the eye - Robinson. Then it means the face, visage, countenance; then the presence, person, etc. Here it probably means, in the presence of Christ; with his eye upon me, and conscious that I am acting before him, and must give account to him. It implies, undoubtedly, that Paul acted by his authority, and felt that he was doing that which Christ would approve.

To whom ye forgive any thing - Here he farther shows them that his sole object in the punishment inflicted on the transgressor, was his amendment and therefore promises to ratify, in the name and authority of Christ, the free pardon which he exhorts them to dispense.
In the person of Christ - As I believe Christ acts towards his penitent soul, so do I. Christ forgives his sin, and takes him to his favor; let us forgive him his offense against the Church, and restore him to its communion.

To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the (h) person of Christ;
(h) Truly, and from the heart.

To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also,.... This may extend to the forgiveness of any person, in any case; either in time past, or at the present time, or in time to come; though it has a particular respect to the forgiveness of the incestuous man, which the apostle had determined in his own mind, and was very ready to come into, and very desirous to join with the church in, as they had joined with him in the excommunication of him; and in order to engage them in such a temper and disposition, he tells them it was on their account he did it:
for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it; which is as if he should say, whenever I have forgiven any offender, as I now do forgive this man, I always do it for your sake; either at your request, or in confidence of this, that you yourselves have forgiven; or for your good, peace, and welfare: and besides, what I do of this kind, I do it
in the person of Christ; in his sight and presence, who knows that what I do this way, I do it sincerely, and with my whole heart and soul; or rather I do it in his name, and by his authority; and since I forgive this man for your sakes, and in the name of Christ, you ought to do so likewise.

Another encouragement to their taking on themselves the responsibility of restoring the offender. They may be assured of Paul's apostolic sanction to their doing so.
for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it--The oldest manuscripts read, "For even what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything."
for your sakes forgave I it--He uses the past tense, as of a thing already determined on; as in 1-Corinthians 5:3, "I have judged already"; or, as speaking generally of forgiveness granted, or to be granted. It is for your sakes I have forgiven, and do forgive, that the Church (of which you are constituent members) may suffer no hurt by the loss of a soul, and that ye may learn leniency as well as faithfulness.
in the person of Christ--representing Christ, and acting by His authority: answering to 1-Corinthians 5:4, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ."

To whom ye forgive - He makes no question of their complying with his direction. Anything - So mildly does he speak even of that heinous sin, after it was repented of. In the person of Christ - By the authority wherewith he has invested me.