17And it came about on one of those days that he was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for him to heal. [5:18] And look — men were carrying on a mat a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus. [5:19] And finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up onto the roof and let him down through the tiles with his mat into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. [5:20] And seeing their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." [5:21] And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" [5:22] And Jesus, perceiving their reasoning, answered them, "Why do you reason in your hearts? [5:23] Which is easier — to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? [5:24] But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — he said to the paralyzed man — "I say to you: rise, take up your mat and go to your home." [5:25] And immediately he rose before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. [5:26] And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen incredible things today."
LUK 5:17-26
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Galilee, houses were typically small, single-room structures with flat roofs made of mud and straw, accessible by an external staircase. The paralytic's friends lowering him through the roof would have been a dramatic but plausible action, as roofs were easily dismantled and repaired. The presence of Pharisees and teachers of the law from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem indicates a gathering of religious authorities, likely drawn by Jesus' growing reputation. Their role was to uphold Torah observance and interpret Jewish law, making them keen observers of Jesus' actions. The paralytic's condition would have rendered him ritually impure and socially marginalized, as physical infirmity was often linked to sin in Jewish thought. Jesus' declaration of forgiveness ('your sins are forgiven') would have been shocking, as forgiveness was understood to be God's prerogative alone, mediated through the Temple system. His subsequent healing ('rise and walk') demonstrated divine authority, validating his claim to forgive sins. The crowd's reaction of ('amazement') reflects the profound impact of witnessing such power in action.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
LUK 5:17
- KJV
- And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
- BSB
- One day Jesus was teaching, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. People had come from Jerusalem and from every village of Galilee and Judea, and the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.
- Koinōnos
- And it came about on one of those days that he was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for him to heal.
LUK 5:18
- KJV
- And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
- BSB
- Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus,
- Koinōnos
- And look — men were carrying on a mat a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus.
LUK 5:19
- KJV
- And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
- BSB
- but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
- Koinōnos
- And finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up onto the roof and let him down through the tiles with his mat into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus.
LUK 5:20
- KJV
- And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
- BSB
- When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
- Koinōnos
- And seeing their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you.
LUK 5:21
- KJV
- And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
- BSB
- But the scribes and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
- Koinōnos
- And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?
LUK 5:22
- KJV
- But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
- BSB
- Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus replied, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
- Koinōnos
- And Jesus, perceiving their reasoning, answered them, "Why do you reason in your hearts?
LUK 5:23
- KJV
- Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
- BSB
- Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’
- Koinōnos
- Which is easier — to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
LUK 5:24
- KJV
- But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
- BSB
- But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
- Koinōnos
- But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — he said to the paralyzed man — "I say to you: rise, take up your mat and go to your home.
LUK 5:25
- KJV
- And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
- BSB
- And immediately the man stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.
- Koinōnos
- And immediately he rose before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God.
LUK 5:26
- KJV
- And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
- BSB
- Everyone was taken with amazement and glorified God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
- Koinōnos
- And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen incredible things today.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
LUK 5:17
- [the] power:The word translated 'power' here refers to inherent ability or strength, often implying miraculous or supernatural capability, rather than just authority or influence.
LUK 5:18
- a mat:The term used here for 'a mat' refers to a simple, portable bed or couch, often used for sleeping or reclining at meals, indicating something easily carried.
LUK 5:21
- blasphemies?:The word translated 'blasphemies' carried the sense of impious speech or slander against God, or even against sacred things or people, implying a grave offense.
LUK 5:26
- amazement:The word translated 'amazement' suggests a state of being 'out of one's mind' or beside oneself due to intense wonder, astonishment, or even fear, indicating a profound emotional impact.