After John had baptized Jesus, Jesus went about preaching from town to town. And everywhere Jesus went crowds followed him, and pressed up against him all the time.
One day Jesus came into Capernaum and went into a house. He sat down to teach, and the crowds filled the house and the street outside the house. People were even looking in the windows and doors. Everyone was listening to Jesus teach.
Now there was a paralyzed man in Capernaum. He had four friends who picked him up in his bed and brought him to Jesus. But they could not get to Jesus because there were too many people. Finally, when they could find no other way, they climbed up onto the roof. Then they made a hole in the roof and lowered the paralyzed man on his mat down in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw the faith of the men, he said to the paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Now there were teachers of the law listening to Jesus. When they heard these words, they were saying in their hearts, “How can he say this! Only God can forgive sins! He’s blaspheming!”
But Jesus knew in his spirit what they were thinking in their hearts and said to them, “What is more difficult? For me to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and go home’? Now, I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Get up! Take up your bed! And go home!” And the man did! Immediately he got up, took his bed and went out in front of them all! And everyone was completely amazed and gave glory to God and said, “We have never seen anything like this before!”