King James Bible Dictionary

CONFESS', verb transitive [Latin , to own or acknowledge.]

1. To own, acknowledge or avow, as a crime, a fault, a charge, a debt, or something that is against one's interest, or reputation.

Human faults with human grief confess

I confess the argument against me is good and not easily refuted.

let us frankly confess our sins.

'Confess thee freely of thy sins, ' used by Shakespeare, is not legitimate, unless in the sense of Catholics.

2. In the Catholic Church, to acknowledge sins and faults to a priest; to disclose the state of the conscience to a priest, in private, with a view to absolution; sometimes with the reciprocal pronoun.

The beautiful votary confessed herself to this celebrated father.

3. To own, avow or acknowledge; publicly to declare a belief in and adherence to.

Whoever shall confess me before men. Matthew 10:32.

4. To own and acknowledge, as true disciples, friends or children.

Him will I confess before my father who is heaven.

5. To own; to acknowledge; to declare to be true, or to admit or assent to in words; opposed to deny.

Then will I confess to thee, that thine own right hand can save thee. Job 11:1.

These-- confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. Hebrews 11:13.

6. To show by the effect; to prove; to attest.

Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mold.

7. To hear or receive the confession of another; as, the priest confessed the nuns.

CONFESS', verb intransitive To make confession; to disclose faults, or the state of the conscience; as, this man went to the priest to confess

CONFESS'ANT, noun One who confesses to a priest.

CONFESS'ARY, noun One who makes a confession. [Not used.]

CONFESS'ED, participle passive Owned; acknowledged; declared to be true; admitted in words; avowed; admitted to disclose to a priest.

CONFESS'EDLY, adverb

1. By confession, or acknowledgment; avowedly; undeniably. Demosthenes was confessedly the greatest orator in Greece.

2. With avowed purpose; as, his object was confessedly to secure to himself a benefice.

CONFESS'ING, participle present tense Owning; avowing; declaring to be true or real; granting or admitting by assent; receiving disclosure of sins, or the state of the conscience of another.

(1) An open profession of faith (Luke 12:8).

2. An acknowledment of sins to God (Leviticus 16:21; Ezra 9:5-15; Daniel 9:3-12), and to a neighbour whom we have wronged (James 5:16; Matthew 18:15).

Of Christ

General references
Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 12:8; John 1:15-18; Matthew 3:11; John 9:22-38; John 12:42-43; Acts 8:35-37; Acts 18:5; Acts 19:4-5; Romans 10:9-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:4; 1 John 4:2-3; 1 John 4:15
Testimony, Religious

Of sin
Sin, Confession of

CONFES'SION, noun

1. The acknowledgment of a crime, fault or something to one's disadvantage; open declaration of guilt, failure, debt, accusation, etc.

With the mouth confession is made to salvation. Romans 10:10.

2. Avowal; the act of acknowledging; profession.

Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession 1 Timothy 6:13.

3. The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest; the disburdening of the conscience privately to a confessor; sometimes called auricular confession

4. A formulary in which the articles of faith are comprised; a creed to be assented to or signed, as a preliminary to admission into a church.

5. The acknowledgment of a debt by a debtor before a justice of the peace, etc., on which judgment is entered and execution issued.

CONFES'SIONAL, noun The seat where a priest or confessor sits to hear confessions; a confession-chair.

CONFES'SIONARY, noun A confession-chair, as above.

CONFES'SIONARY, adjective Pertaining to auricular confession.

CONFES'SIONIST, noun One who makes a profession of faith.

CONFESS'OR, noun

1. One who confesses; one who acknowledges his sins.

2. One who makes a profession of his faith in the Christian religion. The word is appropriately used to denote one who avows his religion in the face of danger, and adheres to it, in defiance of persecution and torture. It was formerly used as synonymous with martyr; afterwards it was applied to those who, having been persecuted and tormented, were permitted to die in peace. It was used also for such Christians as lived a good life, and died with the reputation of sanctity.

3. A priest; one who hears the confessions of others, and has power to grant them absolution.