Luke 5:17-26

Expanded Bible

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man^(A)

¹⁷ One day as Jesus was teaching the people, the Pharisees and teachers of the law from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem were there. ·The Lord was giving Jesus the power [^LThe power of the Lord was upon him] to heal people. ¹⁸ ·Just then [^LAnd look/^Tbehold], some men were carrying on a ·mat [cot; bed] a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and put him down before Jesus. ¹⁹ But because there were so many people there, they could not find a way in. So they went up on the roof and lowered the man on his ·mat [cot; bed] through the ·ceiling [^Ltiles] into the middle of the crowd right ·before [in front of] Jesus. ²⁰ Seeing their faith, Jesus said, “·Friend [^LMan], your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ The ·Jewish teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees ·thought to themselves [^Lbegan thinking/reasoning], “Who is this man who is speaking ·as if he were God [blasphemies]? ·Only God can forgive sins [^LWho can forgive sins except God alone?; Is. 43:25].”

²² But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why are you thinking these things [^Lin your hearts]? ²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? ²⁴ But ·I will prove to you [^Lso that you may know] that the Son of Man [^Ca title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, stand up, take your ·mat [cot; bed], and go home.”

²⁵ At once the man stood up before them, picked up ·his mat [^Lwhat he had been lying on], and went home, ·praising [glorifying] God. ²⁶ All the people were ·fully amazed [astounded; astonished] and began to ·praise [glorify] God. They were filled with ·much respect [awe; fear] and said, “Today we have seen ·amazing [remarkable; incredible] things!”