(1) AND JESUS, getting into a boat, crossed to the other side and came to His own town [Capernaum]. (2) And behold, they brought to Him a man paralyzed {and} prostrated by illness, lying on a sleeping pad; and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven {and} the penalty remitted. (3) And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes [He claims the rights and prerogatives of God]! (4) But Jesus, knowing (seeing) their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil {and} harbor malice in your hearts? (5) For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven {and} the penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk? (6) But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins {and} remit the penalty, He then said to the paralyzed man, Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad and go to your own house. (7) And he got up and went away to his own house. (8) When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear {and} awe; and they recognized God {and} praised {and} thanked Him, Who had given such power {and} authority to men.

(1) AND JESUS having returned to Capernaum, after some days it was rumored about that He was in the house [probably Peter's]. (2) And so many people gathered together there that there was no longer room [for them], not even around the door; and He was discussing the Word. (3) Then they came, bringing a paralytic to Him, who had been picked up {and} was being carried by four men. (4) And when they could not get him to a place in front of Jesus because of the throng, they dug through the roof above Him; and when they had scooped out an opening, they let down the [thickly padded] quilt {or} mat upon which the paralyzed man lay. (5) And when Jesus saw their faith [their confidence in God through Him], He said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven [you] {and} put away [that is, the penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God]. (6) Now some of the scribes were sitting there, holding a dialogue with themselves as they questioned in their hearts, (7) Why does this Man talk like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins [remove guilt, remit the penalty, and bestow righteousness instead] except God alone? (8) And at once Jesus, becoming fully aware in His spirit that they thus debated within themselves, said to them, Why do you argue (debate, reason) about all this in your hearts? (9) Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven {and} put away, or to say, Rise, take up your sleeping pad {or} mat, and start walking about [and keep on walking]? (10) But that you may know positively {and} beyond a doubt that the Son of Man has right {and} authority {and} power on earth to forgive sins--He said to the paralyzed man, (11) I say to you, arise, pick up {and} carry your sleeping pad {or} mat, and be going on home. (12) And he arose at once and picked up the sleeping pad {or} mat and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and recognized {and} praised {and} thanked God, saying, We have never seen anything like this before!

(17) One of those days, as He was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting by, who had come from every village {and} town of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was [present] with Him to heal {them}. (18) And behold, some men were bringing on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed, and they tried to carry him in and lay him before [Jesus]. (19) But finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him with his stretcher through the tiles into the midst, in front of Jesus. (20) And when He saw [their confidence in Him, springing from] their faith, He said, Man, your sins are forgiven you! (21) And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason {and} question {and} argue, saying, Who is this [Man] Who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? (22) But Jesus, knowing their thoughts {and} questionings, answered them, Why do you question in your hearts? (23) Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise and walk [about]? (24) But that you may know that the Son of Man has the [power of] authority {and} right on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralyzed man, I say to you, arise, pick up your litter (stretcher), and go to your own house! (25) And instantly [the man] stood up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went away to his house, recognizing {and} praising {and} thanking God. (26) And overwhelming astonishment {and} ecstasy seized them all, and they recognized {and} praised {and} thanked God; and they were filled with {and} controlled by reverential fear and kept saying, We have seen wonderful {and} strange {and} incredible {and} unthinkable things today!