Jesus Forgives Sins^(A)

9 Jesus got into a boat, crossed the sea, and came to his own city. ² Some people brought him a paralyzed man on a stretcher.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Cheer up, friend! Your sins are forgiven.”

³ Then some of the experts in Moses’ Teachings thought, “He’s dishonoring God.”

⁴ Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking evil things? ⁵ Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

⁷ So the man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such authority to humans.

Jesus Forgives Sins^(A)

2 Several days later Jesus came back to Capernaum. The report went out that he was home. ² Many people had gathered. There was no room left, even in front of the door. Jesus was speaking ⌞God’s⌟ word to them.

³ Four men came to him carrying a paralyzed man. ⁴ Since they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof over the place where Jesus was. Then they lowered the cot on which the paralyzed man was lying.

⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Some experts in Moses’ Teachings were sitting there. They thought, ⁷ “Why does he talk this way? He’s dishonoring God. Who besides God can forgive sins?”

⁸ At once, Jesus knew inwardly what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why do you have these thoughts? ⁹ Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your cot, and walk’? ¹⁰ I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, ¹¹ “I’m telling you to get up, pick up your cot, and go home!”

¹² The man got up, immediately picked up his cot, and walked away while everyone watched. Everyone was amazed and praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”