If someone wishes to confess sins in private to the pastor or any fellow Christian, he/she may say: “O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess to You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor sinful being. Amen.”
Then the pastor or fellow Christian shall say: “Do you believe that the forgiveness I declare is the forgiveness of God?”
Then the one confessing shall say: “I do so believe.”
The pastor or fellow Christian shall say: “Be it done for you as you have believed. According to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace.”