Jesus Heals the Paralyzed Man
Four men and a hole in the roof
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He has come home to Capernaum.
- The paralyzed man: A man who could not get up and walk. Mark does not tell us his name.
- The four men: They carried the paralyzed man to Jesus on his mat. Many people call them his friends. Mark does not say how they knew him.
- Some scribes: Teachers of Moses's law. They were sitting in the house, listening.
- The crowd: So many people that nobody else could get in the door.
Setting
- A house in Capernaum, a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. The house has a flat roof.
When
- Early in Jesus's work, about 2,000 years ago.
Before the Story
Jesus lived in Capernaum. He taught in the town's synagogue on the Sabbath (1:21).
Crowds followed him everywhere. He had healed many sick people in Capernaum (1:32-34). The news spread so fast that he could not enter a town openly (1:45).
People noticed his authority. Authority means the right and the power to do something. People said Jesus taught with authority, not like the scribes (1:22).
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: Jesus is the Son of God. Mark says so at the very start (1:1).
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A crowded house | 2:1-2 | Jesus comes home. The house fills up |
| 2. Through the roof | 2:3-4 | Four men lower a paralyzed man through the roof |
| 3. "Your sins are forgiven" | 2:5 | Jesus sees their faith and forgives the man |
| 4. The scribes' question | 2:6-7 | Some scribes think Jesus is insulting God |
| 5. "Which is easier?" | 2:8-10 | Jesus answers what they were thinking |
| 6. Get up and go home | 2:11-12 | The man walks out, and everyone praises God |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 6A Crowded House
The house was packed. People filled every room. They stood outside, too, and there was no more space, not even by the door.
This was in Capernaum, a fishing town by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had been away, teaching in other towns. A few days later, he came back. People heard he was home, and they came in huge numbers.
Jesus was teaching them God's word.
Mark doesn't say whose house it was. Some readers think it was the home of Simon and Andrew, where Jesus had stayed before (1:29). Simon is the disciple later called Peter.
Scene 2 of 6Through the Roof
Then four men came. They were carrying a man on a mat. The man was paralyzed. Paralyzed means he could not move parts of his body. He could not get up and walk.
The four men could not get through the crowd. The door was blocked. So they went up on the roof.
Houses there had flat roofs. Many roofs were made of mud and straw laid over branches or wooden beams (Smith's Bible Dictionary).
The men opened up the roof right above Jesus. They dug through it and made a hole. Then they lowered the man down on his mat, into the room where Jesus was.
Scene 3 of 6"Your Sins Are Forgiven"
Jesus saw what the four men had done. Mark says Jesus saw "their faith" (2:5).
Faith means trust. The men trusted that Jesus could help. They would not let a crowd stop them. Mark doesn't say whether the man on the mat had faith too. Many readers think "their" includes him.
Jesus spoke to the man on the mat. "Son, your sins are forgiven" (2:5).
"Son" is a warm, family word. It is how a parent talks to a child.
Jesus forgave the man before healing the man's body. This does not mean the man's sin caused his paralysis. Mark never says that. Every person needs forgiveness. Jesus gave it to this man first.
Scene 4 of 6The Scribes' Question
Some scribes were sitting in the room. Scribes were teachers of Moses's law. They knew the Scriptures very well.
They did not say anything out loud. But they thought to themselves, "Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming" (2:7).
To blaspheme means to insult God. It can also mean claiming something that belongs only to God.
They also thought, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (2:7).
The scribes were right about this. Only God can forgive sins against God. Their Scriptures speak of God as the one who blots out sins, which means erasing them (Isaiah 43:25). Mark wants readers to notice this. So either Jesus was wrong, or Jesus was doing what only God can do.
Scene 5 of 6"Which Is Easier?"
Right away, Jesus knew what they were thinking.
He asked them, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?" (2:8). Here "hearts" means their inner thoughts.
Then he asked, "Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, pick up your mat, and walk'?" (2:9). "Paralytic" is an old word for a person who is paralyzed.
Anyone can say, "Your sins are forgiven." Nobody can see whether the forgiveness really happened. But everyone in the room could see if this man got up and walked.
Jesus said he would show them. "So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." (2:10). "Son of Man" is a name Jesus used for himself.
Scene 6 of 6Get Up and Go Home
Then Jesus spoke to the man on the mat.
"I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home" (2:11).
The man got up. Right away. He picked up his mat.
He walked out in front of them all. The crowd that had blocked the door watched him go.
Everyone was amazed. They praised God. They said, "We have never seen anything like this!" (2:12).
The scribes had wondered who could forgive sins except God. Mark does not answer them with words. He shows a man walking home. That walk shows that Jesus has God's authority to forgive.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "When Jesus saw their faith" (2:5) | Jesus saw trust in what the four men did. Faith is a gift the Holy Spirit gives. Their faith carried someone else to Jesus. |
| "Son, your sins are forgiven" (2:5) | Jesus gave the man what every person needs. It is not a statement that his paralysis was his fault. |
| "He is blaspheming" (2:7) | The scribes thought Jesus was claiming what belongs only to God. This is the same charge brought against Jesus at his trial (Mark 14:64). |
| "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (2:7) | This is true. Mark wants us to see Jesus doing what only God does. |
| "Which is easier" (2:9) | Forgiveness can't be seen. Walking can. Jesus let them see the healing so they would believe the forgiveness. |
| "Authority on earth to forgive sins" (2:10) | God's forgiveness is not far away in heaven. It is here, in Jesus. Matthew says the crowd praised God, "who had given such authority to men" (Matthew 9:8). Lutherans hear this in worship, when the pastor announces forgiveness in Jesus's name. |
Back Then
Capernaum was where Jesus lived during his work. After he left Nazareth, Capernaum became his "own city." Many things in his life happened there. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Roofs were flat. People went up on them, and low walls around the edge kept people from falling. (Easton's Bible Dictionary) Many roofs were made of mud and straw laid over branches or beams. (Smith's Bible Dictionary) One likely reason the four men could dig through: the roof was mostly mud and straw.
Some people back then thought disability or illness came from sin. Jesus's own disciples once asked, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2). Jesus said no (John 9:3).
Literal Reader Alert
Was the man paralyzed because he sinned? No. Mark never says that. Jesus said a man's blindness was not caused by his sin or his parents' sin: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned" (John 9:3). Every person sins and needs forgiveness (Romans 3:23). Jesus forgave this man first because forgiveness is what every person needs most. It was not a verdict on his body.
Did the man have to be healed to belong? No. Jesus called him "Son" while he was still lying on his mat (2:5). He belonged before he walked. God sees people living with disabilities as fully whole. They belong in the church now, as they are, healed or not. In 2010, the ELCA Church Council adopted A Message on People Living with Disabilities. It says God creates every person in God's image. It says the church is called to welcome all people into full participation. It also says disabilities are not punishments for anyone's sins.
Does God always heal people's bodies when we pray? Not always in this life. Paul prayed three times for God to take away something that hurt him. God answered, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Prayer for healing is good. But if healing does not come, it is not because your faith, or anyone's faith, was too small.
Why does this page call him "the man on the mat"? We want to describe the man, not only his body. We don't use words like "crippled" or "confined." The Bible calls him "a paralytic," which was a normal word back then. Many people today prefer other words.
Did they really break the roof? Yes. Mark says they uncovered it and made an opening (2:4). Luke tells the same story and says they lowered the man "through the tiles" (Luke 5:19). Mark doesn't say who fixed the roof afterward.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The four men | Determined | The crowd blocked the door, so they found another way in (2:4) |
| The paralyzed man | Mark doesn't say | Mark tells us what happened to him, not how he felt (2:5, 2:12) |
| The scribes | Troubled | They thought Jesus was insulting God (2:6-7) |
| The crowd | Amazed and thankful | They had never seen anything like this, and they praised God (2:12) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Where are you in this story today? Tap one.
On the mat
The man on the mat was carried by others. He did not have to get to Jesus alone. Jesus called him "Son" before he stood up.
One of the four
You can bring people to Jesus by praying for them and staying with them. The faith to do it is a gift from God.
Stuck outside the door
The four men were stuck too. They found another way in. Jesus did not send them away.
I feel too guilty
The first thing Jesus said was "your sins are forgiven." He says it to you too. In worship, the pastor says it in Jesus's name.
It's really bad right now
Jesus welcomed the man who could not come alone. You don't have to face this alone either. Please tell a trusted adult today. In the U.S., call or text 988. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
You Might Have Heard
"If you had enough faith, God would heal you."
What's true: Jesus has power to heal. It is good to pray for healing. The four men trusted Jesus, and he acted.
What the story is mainly about: Who Jesus is. He forgives sins, which only God can do. Mark links the men's faith to Jesus's words of forgiveness (2:5). Mark says the healing came so people would know Jesus's authority (2:10). It was not a prize for having enough faith. The man on the mat did nothing to earn it. Others carried him. Many faithful people are not healed in this life, like Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9). Their faith is not the problem. And a person does not need to be healed to be whole in God's eyes.
Where Jesus is: He is in the middle of a crowded room, telling a man his sins are forgiven. The scribes called it blasphemy. The same charge came up again at his trial (Mark 14:64). That charge led to the cross. There Jesus gave his life so that our sins are forgiven. A Roman soldier at the cross said, "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:39).
Good News
The man on the mat could not get to Jesus by himself. Others carried him. Jesus welcomed him and forgave him before he did anything.
Many Lutherans see a picture of Baptism here. Babies are carried to the font by others. They cannot come on their own. God gives them his promise, and the Holy Spirit gives faith. Christians have understood infant baptism differently, and some do not baptize babies. But this story shows Jesus welcoming someone who was carried.
If you have ever felt that you are not enough, or too guilty to come close, this story is for you. Like the man on the mat, you do not have to find your own way to Jesus. Jesus comes to you with forgiveness.
Jesus speaks forgiveness first, to people who could not get to him on their own.
Big Idea
Jesus does what only God can do: he forgives sins, and he welcomes the people others carry to him.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In his Large Catechism (1529), Martin Luther wrote about Baptism for babies. He said we bring the child to Baptism hoping and trusting that the child believes. We also pray that God will give the child faith. The baptism rests on God's command, not on how strong anyone's faith is.
Luther also preached on this story, as Matthew tells it (Matthew 9:1-8). The sermon is printed in his Church Postil for the 19th Sunday after Trinity. He said the faith of others helps a person receive a faith of their own. The men's faith brought the man to Christ, and Christ gives faith. Luther used the same thinking for bringing babies to Baptism.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Mark 2:1-12 on the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany in Year B. The first reading that day is Isaiah 43:18-25, which includes God's promise to blot out sins. That Sunday only comes in years when the Epiphany season is long.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Son, your sins are forgiven.
How did that feel?