Who can forgive?

WHO CAN FORGIVE?

P 143 Leviticus 16:30 For on this day atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you; of all your sins before the Eternal you shall be cleansed. Hebrew Text Leviticus 16:30 כִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְיָ֖ תִּטְהָֽרוּ:
Text 42 Tosefta Bava Metzia 8:26 For tax-collectors and publicans repentance is difficult; they are to give back [the money] to those they are aware of, and as for the rest, he is to use it for public requirements.  Hebrew Text Tosefta Bava Metzia 8:26 הגבאין והמוכסין תשובתן קשה ומחזירין למכירין והשאר עושין בהן צרכי רבים:
Text 43. Mishnah Avot 5:18 (sometimes 5:21) Whoever causes the multitude to be righteous, through him no sin shall be brought about; but he who causes the multitude to sin shall not have the means to repent.  Hebrew Text Mishnah Avot 5:18 כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ. וְכָל הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
Text 44 Mekhilta on Exodus 20:7 “For the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”.  Rabbi Elazar says “It is impossible to say ‘He will not hold guiltless’ (Exodus 34: 7), since it has already stated ‘To hold guiltless’ (do.)  But it is impossible to say ‘To hold guiltless’, since it is also said ‘He will not hold guiltless’.  Say therefore: he holds guiltless those who repent, but he does not hold guiltless those who do not repent.”Hebrew Text Mekhilta on Exodus 20:7 כי לא ינקה ה’ את אשר ישא את שמו לשוא. אי איפשר לומר לא ינקה שכבר נאמר ינקה ואי איפשר לומר ינקה שכבר נאמר לא ינקה אמור מעתה מנקה הוא לשבים ואינו מנקה לשאינן שבים.
Text 45 Mishnah Yoma 8:9 If somebody said “I will sin and repent, and sin again and repent,” he will be given no opportunity to repent.  [If he said,] “I will sin and Yom Kippur will effect atonement,” then Yom Kippur effects no atonement. For transgressions that are between people and God Yom Kippur effects atonement, but for transgressions that are between people Yom Kippur effects atonement only if they have appeased their fellow. This is what R. Elazar ben Azariah expounded… Said Rabbi Akiva: Happy are you, Israel.  Before whom are you made clean and who makes you clean?  Your father in heaven…  Hebrew Text Mishnah Yoma 8:9 הָאוֹמֵר, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ… אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִפְנֵי מִי אַתֶּם מִטַּהֲרִין, וּמִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם, אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם
Greek Text (i)  Matthew 12: 31 – 32 31 διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται.  32 καὶ ὃς ἐὰν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ · ὃς δ’ ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ οὔτε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ  αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι.    Greek Text Mark 3: 28 – 30 28 Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πάντα ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὰ ἁμαρτήματα  καὶ ἡ βλασφημίαι ὅσα ἐὰν  βλασφημήσωσιν ·  29 ὃς δ’ ἂν βλασφημήσῃ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, οὐκ ἔχει ἄφεσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ ἔνοχός ἐστιν αἰωνίου ἁμαρτήματος. 30 ὅτι ἔλεγον · Πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον ἔχει.  
(iii)  Luke 12: 10   καὶ πᾶς ὃς ἐρεῖ λόγον εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ τῷ δὲ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα βλασφημήσαντι οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται..      		Text 46 Matthew 12: 31 – 32 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.     (ii)  Mark 3: 28 – 30   28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”      
(iii)  Luke 12: 10   And every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.    
Greek Text Matthew 9: 1 – 9 1 Καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασεν καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν.  2 Καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν τῷ παραλυτικῷ · Θάρσει, τέκνον · ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι.  3 καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς · Οὗτος βλασφημεῖ.  4 καὶ εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν · Ἱνατί ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν;  5 τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν · Ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν · Ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;  6 ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας — τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ · Ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.  7 καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.  8 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐφοβήθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.  9 Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ · Ἀκολούθει μοι · καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ.   Text 47 Matthew 9: 1 – 9 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.  2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”  3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”  4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?  5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Rise and walk’?  6 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” ‑ he then said to the paralytic ‑ “Rise, take up your bed and go home.”  7 And he rose and went home.  8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.           9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.”