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False dilemma. Everyone injured is owed a confession. God, the wife, the mistress, the kids. Everyone harmed by the sin. In some cases, such as murder, there is no possibility of reconciliation in this life, but even under those circumstances confession to God remains possible, and eventual reconciliation in the life to come.

The Jews coming to John in the spirit of Elijah the Prophet, confessed their sins at his baptism, not to those who they had wronged. The woman was forgiven without confessing to those she had wronged with her adultery. When the sick man had his sins forgiven, the Jewish people glorified God who had given the power to forgive sins to men. The Messiah gave his Apostles the power to forgive or retain sins. The represent Him.

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

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And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

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Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

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Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Matthew, Catholic chapter three, Protestant verses one to six,
Matthew, Catholic chapter nine, Protestant verses one to eight,
John, Catholic chapter eight, Protestant verses one to eleven,
John, Catholic chapter twenty, Protestant verses twenty one to twenty three,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

Let's see if you understand the passages your using:

And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Did this woman ever sin again, in any way? So was Jesus referring to specific sin or a blanket command?

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Which of your popes has Jesus breathed upon, which priests?

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Were these doing the confessing making confession to John for John to forgive them their sins and baptize them? ... Why did Jesus come and be baptized by John?

Who alone has the power to forgive sin? To HIM confession is made, and HE has PROMISED to cleanse from all unrighteousness by the sinless blood of Jesus already sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat, not magically fed to you in a wheat wafer. Do you believe GOD cleanses the sinner's soul/spirit? Who alone is Righteous, ONLY Him can you sin against. Oh, you can wrong someone, but you cannot sin against someone who is not Holy and Righteous. Learn that lesson, old man, and you might just awaken ... before it is too late.

The Sermon on the Mount is clear. If there is an offense between you and your brother, don’t bother showing up at Temple to act all religious until you’ve been reconciled to your brother. Confession can take place in all kinds of venues. We once had a preacher caught in sexual sin. He injured the entire local body of believers. Confession to all of us was appropriate. If I say a sharp word to my wife and realize later it was sin, I confess that to my wife. Both errors should be confessed to God. This is Christian confession.

BTW, confession to Jesus or Jesus issuing forgiveness is the same as confessing to God and needing God’s forgiveness. That dimension will be there for every offense, because every sin is at some level against God. Nothing precludes those same individuals from admitting they were wrong to the people they hurt. Nickodemus did as much, returning his unjust tax collection to the people he ripped off. Both-and. Not either-or.

Peace,