When Jesus returned to Capernaum after several days, people heard that he was at home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door. Jesus was speaking God’s word to them.
Four people came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They could not bring him near Jesus because of the crowd. Instead of turning back, they opened the roof above Jesus and made an opening. Then they lowered the man on his mat.
Jesus saw their faith and told the man that his sins were forgiven. Some scribes, who knew the law, were sitting there and questioned this in their hearts. They regarded his words as blasphemy, reasoning that only God could forgive sins.
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked why they were reasoning that way. He asked which was easier: to tell the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, or to tell him to rise, take his mat, and walk.
Jesus said that people would know that the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins. Then he told the man to rise, pick up his mat, and go home.
The man stood up at once, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of everyone. The people were all amazed and glorified God. They said they had never seen anything like it.