Mark 2:1-12

Expanded Bible

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man^(A)

2 A few days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home. ² Many people gathered together so that there was no room in the house, not even ·outside [near; in front of] the door. And Jesus was ·teaching them God’s message [^Lspeaking the word to them]. ³ Four people came, carrying a paralyzed man. ⁴ Since they could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug a hole in the roof right above where he was speaking. [^CPalestinian roofs were generally flat and made of thatch and dried mud.] When they got through, they lowered the ·mat [cot] with the paralyzed man on it. ⁵ When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, “·Young man [Child; Son], your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Some of the ·teachers of the law [scribes] were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷ “Why does this man ·say things like that [speak this way]? He is ·speaking as if he were God [^Lblaspheming]. ·Only God can forgive sins.” [^L“Who can forgive sins but God alone?”; cf. Is. 43:25].

⁸ Jesus knew immediately [in his spirit] what these teachers of the law were thinking. So he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things [^Lin your hearts]? ⁹ Which is easier: to tell this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up. Take your ·mat [cot] and walk’? ¹⁰ 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, ¹¹ “I tell you, stand up, take your ·mat [cot], and go home.” ¹² Immediately the paralyzed man stood up, took his ·mat [cot], and walked out while everyone was watching him.

The people were [all] amazed and praised God. They said, “We have never seen anything like this!”