Luke 5:23 kjv

Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

Luke 5:23 nkjv

Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?

Luke 5:23 niv

Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

Luke 5:23 esv

Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

Luke 5:23 nlt

Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?

Luke 5 verses

Luke 5 23 Meaning

Luke 5:23 presents a rhetorical question posed by Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees, challenging their unspoken accusations of blasphemy. The verse immediately follows Jesus' declaration to the paralytic man, "Your sins are forgiven you," which provoked the religious leaders' inner thoughts, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus' question, "For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?", serves to reveal His divine authority. It's not about the linguistic ease of speaking the words, but the ease of validating the claim. It is "easier" to say one's sins are forgiven because it cannot be immediately verified by onlookers. However, to say "Rise and walk" to a paralytic demands immediate, undeniable proof. By performing the visible and verifiable miracle of healing, Jesus irrefutably demonstrated His unseen authority to forgive sins, thereby affirming His divine nature and power over both spiritual and physical maladies.

Luke 5 23 Context

Luke 5:23 is situated within the narrative of Jesus' public ministry, specifically after He begins gathering disciples and engaging with large crowds, including prominent religious leaders. The immediate context is Luke 5:17-26, which details the healing of a paralytic man.

Jesus is teaching in a crowded house in Capernaum, filled not only with common people but also with Pharisees and teachers of the law "from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem." The presence of these influential figures from throughout the region signifies a heightened level of scrutiny and theological debate surrounding Jesus.

A group of men, driven by extraordinary faith, attempts to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. Unable to get through the crowd, they cleverly unroof the house and lower their friend directly before Jesus. Instead of immediately commanding healing, Jesus first pronounces, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." This statement sparks an immediate, though initially unspoken, controversy among the religious elite: "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Luke 5:21). Their objection stemmed from the deep-seated Jewish belief, correctly held, that only God possessed the prerogative to forgive sins. For any human to claim such authority was, in their view, a direct affront to God – a blasphemy worthy of death.

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, confronts their reasoning by posing the question of Luke 5:23. He highlights the distinct verifiability of the two claims. His subsequent command for the man to "Rise and walk" and the immediate, undeniable healing of the paralytic serve as conclusive proof of His divine power and thus His authority to forgive sins. This event not only showcased Jesus' miraculous power but, more significantly, established His identity as one who holds authority belonging solely to God Himself. This marked a profound challenge to the established religious authority and understanding of God's direct intervention.

Luke 5 23 Word Analysis

• For which is easier (τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον - ti estin eukopōteron):

  • For (γάρ - gar): Connects this verse directly to the preceding theological challenge regarding Jesus' authority to forgive sins. It indicates a logical explanation or rhetorical justification.
  • which (τί - ti): A rhetorical interrogative pronoun, leading into a direct comparison.
  • is easier (εὐκοπώτερον - eukopōteron): This is the comparative form of the adjective εὔκοπος (eukopos), meaning "easy to toil, easy to manage, convenient." Its root is related to "labor" or "trouble" (κόπος - kopos). The "easier" here is not about the linguistic difficulty of uttering the words, but the ease or difficulty of demonstrating or validating the claim. It is easier to claim invisible forgiveness without proof than to claim physical healing which requires immediate, undeniable proof. Jesus is showing that the harder, verifiable claim proves the authority for the non-verifiable claim.

• to say (εἰπεῖν - eipein): The infinitive, emphasizing the verbal declaration, the act of stating or making a claim. It highlights the direct assertion of authority.

• ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ (Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι - Apheōntai soi hai hamartiai):

  • Your sins (σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι - soi hai hamartiai): "Of you, the sins." The term ἁμαρτία (hamartia) literally means "missing the mark" (as in archery) and signifies a deviation from God's perfect standard, an offense against Him. It emphasizes the personal guilt and estrangement from God due to transgression.
  • are forgiven (Ἀφέωνται - Apheōntai): Perfect passive indicative of ἀφίημι (aphiēmi), which means "to send away, let go, dismiss, release." The perfect tense signifies a completed action with ongoing results; the sins have been sent away and remain so. The passive voice implies that this forgiveness is given to the person by an outside power, in this case, God (implicitly by Jesus' authority). It implies total release from the debt and consequences of sin.

• or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?" (ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει - ē eipein, Egeire kai peripatei?):

  • or to say (ἢ εἰπεῖν - ē eipein): The repetition of "to say" establishes the direct parallel between the two types of authoritative statements being compared.
  • Rise (Ἔγειρε - Egeire): An imperative verb, "stand up, get up, raise." It is a command for immediate physical action, indicating restoration and vigor.
  • and walk (καὶ περιπάτει - kai peripatei): Also an imperative verb, "to walk around, go about, live." This signifies a full return to normal activity and mobility. This is a visible, undeniable, empirical action that anyone present could observe and confirm.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "For which is easier, to say...": This initial phrase establishes the core of the rhetorical challenge. Jesus frames the issue as a choice between two declarative statements, inviting the audience (especially the religious leaders) to consider the implied difficulties and verification of each. The "easier" refers to the lack of immediate, objective proof for the forgiveness claim, contrasted with the immediate, objective proof required for the healing claim. Jesus uses their own skepticism as a fulcrum to pivot to a deeper revelation of His authority.

• "'Your sins are forgiven you,' or... 'Rise and walk'?": These two clauses represent the dichotomy Jesus sets forth: the invisible spiritual healing versus the visible physical healing. The former requires divine authority but offers no outward proof; the latter requires divine authority and provides undeniable evidence. The point is that Jesus has authority over both domains—sin and sickness—and His power over the physical validates His power over the spiritual. By addressing sin first, Jesus highlights the primacy of spiritual restoration and salvation, yet acknowledges the people's desire for a visible sign. The question essentially states: "If I can do the outwardly verifiable miracle, which also requires divine power, doesn't that prove I can do the inwardly verifiable act (forgiveness), which also requires divine power?"

Luke 5 23 Bonus section

• Rhetorical Brilliance: Jesus' question is a masterful piece of rhetoric. It forces the listeners to weigh the claims, leading them to the inescapable conclusion that His power to heal a debilitating physical condition (a visible act) serves as concrete proof of His power to remedy the unseen spiritual condition of sin (an invisible act). He doesn't directly assert "I am God," but lets His actions and logic lead them to that conclusion.
• The Son of Man: Although not explicitly stated in Luke 5:23, the subsequent verse (Luke 5:24, and its parallels Matt 9:6, Mark 2:10) states that Jesus performs the miracle "that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." The title "Son of Man" here is crucial, drawing from Daniel 7:13-14, which describes a divine, sovereign figure coming with the clouds of heaven, to whom everlasting dominion, glory, and a kingdom will be given. By claiming the authority to forgive sins as the Son of Man, Jesus unmistakably linked Himself to this divinely empowered figure, further substantiating His unique identity and power, bridging both human representation and divine authority.
• Implication for Healing and Sin Today: While Jesus healed the paralytic and forgave his sins in this instance, it's crucial to understand that not all illness is a direct consequence of personal sin (John 9:1-3). However, the passage affirms that sin is a spiritual disease requiring divine intervention, and that Christ ultimately has authority over both sin and its associated effects in a fallen world. This establishes the holistic nature of God's redemptive work.
• Faith of the Friends: While Jesus initially focused on sin, the preceding context highlights the faith of those who brought the paralytic (Luke 5:20, Mark 2:5). Their desperate actions—breaking through the roof—were a testament to their unwavering belief in Jesus' power, which Jesus honored by addressing the paralytic's deepest need: forgiveness.

Luke 5 23 Commentary

Luke 5:23 is a pivotal verse demonstrating Jesus' profound authority, confronting the Jewish religious establishment, and illuminating the essence of His mission. The scribes and Pharisees, rooted in their correct theological understanding that only God can forgive sins, accurately perceived Jesus' claim as an usurpation of divine prerogative – hence, blasphemy. Jesus, however, addresses their unuttered thoughts, not with a denial, but with a strategic rhetorical question designed to unveil His true identity.

The "easier" in Jesus' question is critical. It doesn't imply that it's verbally simple to say "your sins are forgiven," as such a declaration carried immense theological weight and risk. Rather, it speaks to the verifiability. Forgiveness of sins is an unseen, spiritual reality that cannot be outwardly demonstrated or disproven by human eyes. In contrast, commanding a paralytic to "rise and walk" is a claim instantly verifiable; the man either walks or he does not, revealing the truth or falsehood of the speaker's power. Jesus is essentially arguing: "You cannot verify if sins are forgiven. But you can verify if a paralytic walks. If I can command the more difficult, visible action (healing), which only God can truly effect, does it not follow that I possess the power to accomplish the less verifiable, yet ultimately more significant, spiritual action (forgiveness), which also only God can effect?"

This passage therefore solidifies Jesus' claim to deity. He is not merely a prophet, a teacher, or a miracle-worker. By linking physical healing to spiritual forgiveness, Jesus asserts Himself as God incarnate, exercising an authority that belongs solely to God. His holistic ministry addresses both the spiritual brokenness of humanity (sin) and its physical manifestations (sickness and suffering). This incident foreshadows the greater salvation brought through His death and resurrection, where the ultimate payment for sins was made, offering complete and permanent forgiveness and, ultimately, restoration from the brokenness of the fallen world. The paralytic walking away with his mat became an undeniable testimony, a living sign, confirming Jesus' divine nature and authority over all creation, including sin and its consequences.