3 They came to him bringing a paralytic,  * 2:3 Mt 4:24; 8:6; 9:2,6; Mk 2:3–10 carried by four of them. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to  * 2:4 Other mss read able to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. 5 Seeing their faith,  * 2:5 Mt 8:10; Ac 3:16; Rm 1:8; 1Co 2:5; Gl 2:16; 1Tm 1:2; Heb 4:2 Jesus told the paralytic, "Son, your sins* 2:5 Jn 15:22are forgiven."* 2:5 Mt 9:2,5; Lk 5:20,23; 7:48

6 But some of the scribes  * 2:6 Mt 2:4 were sitting there, questioning  * 2:6 Mk 9:33 in their hearts: 7 "Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming!  * 2:7 Ex 22:28; Mk 3:29; Rv 13:6 Who can forgive  * 2:7 Ps 25:11; Mt 9:2 sins  * 2:7 Jn 15:22 but God alone? "  * 2:7 Ex 34:6–7; Is 43:25; 44:2

8 Right away  * 2:8 Mk 10:52 Jesus perceived in his spirit  * 2:8 Lk 5:22; 16:15; Jn 2:25 that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?9 Which is easier:* 2:9 Lk 16:17; 18:25to say to the paralytic,* 2:9 Mk 2:3‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’?* 2:9 Mt 11:510 But so that you may know that the Son of Man* 2:10 Ps 8:4; Lk 5:24; Ac 7:56has authority* 2:10 Mt 28:18; Mk 1:22on earth to forgive sins"* 2:10 Jn 15:22  — he told the paralytic — 11 "I tell you: get up,* 2:11 Mk 5:41take your mat, and go home."

12 Immediately he got up, took the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded  * 2:12 Ac 10:45 and gave glory  * 2:12 Jn 11:4; 17:1; 1Pt 2:12 to God,  * 2:12 Lk 2:14 saying, "We have never seen anything like this! "  * 2:12 Mt 9:33