“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ “
John 20:23 (KJV)"Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."
Acts 10:41-43 "He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
If Catholic priests have the power to grant forgiveness from sin, why don’t they also possess the power to perform miracles?
Jesus said it was just as easy for him to say.. “Arise and walk” as to say “Thy sins are forgiven thee”.. (Luke 5:23)...... .... “But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins he said to the paralytic ...I say to thee, arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy house.” (Luke 5:24).
Why can’t the Catholic priests do the same?... Since they cannot then it’s easy to draw the conclusion they do not have authority to forgive sins.