Jesus Forgives Sins

2 When Jesus again entered Capernaum some days later, people heard that he was home. ² So many people were gathered together that there was no more room, not even by the door, and he was speaking the word to them. ³ Some people came to him bringing a paralyzed man, carried by four men. ⁴ Since they could not bring the man to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug through the roof above where he was. When they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralyzed man was lying. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ But there were some experts in the law sitting there and thinking in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this fellow speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?”

⁸ Jesus immediately knew in his spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. He asked them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier: to tell the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and walk’?