Mark 2:5 kjv

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 2:5 nkjv

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Mark 2:5 niv

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 2:5 esv

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 2:5 nlt

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 2 verses

Mark 2 5 Meaning

In Mark 2:5, when Jesus observed the extraordinary active trust demonstrated by the friends who brought the paralytic, he recognized not only their outward actions but also their deep spiritual expectation. Addressing the paralytic with tender compassion, He directly asserted divine authority by declaring that the man's sins were fully and completely forgiven. This declaration immediately shifted the focus from the man's physical affliction to his spiritual state, laying claim to a power uniquely belonging to God, thus challenging the religious understanding of the onlookers and revealing a core aspect of His messianic identity and mission.

Mark 2 5 Context

Mark chapter 2 introduces a series of controversies where Jesus' actions and teachings are challenged by religious authorities, particularly the scribes and Pharisees. This verse, Mark 2:5, marks the beginning of these escalating conflicts. Preceding this event, Jesus demonstrated His authority over unclean spirits (Mk 1:21-28) and disease (Mk 1:29-45), solidifying His reputation as a healer and teacher in Galilee. The narrative highlights the intense popular demand for Jesus, with His dwelling in Capernaum being so crowded that access was impossible through the door. This context of fervent expectation, coupled with the profound and dramatic act of faith by the paralytic's friends in lowering him through the roof, sets the stage for Jesus' groundbreaking declaration. The historical backdrop involves Jewish society's deeply held belief that sickness often resulted from sin and that only God possessed the authority to forgive sins. Jesus' statement here directly confronted this latter belief, placing Himself in a divine role.

Mark 2 5 Word analysis

• When: (Greek: kai, meaning "and" or "then"). Indicates the immediate response of Jesus upon seeing, linking His action directly to their demonstrated faith.
• Jesus: The central figure; the incarnate Son of God, acting with divine authority and perception.
• saw: (Greek: ἰδὼν, idon, a participle of horao). This signifies more than mere physical sight; it implies deep spiritual perception, understanding, and recognition. Jesus "discerned" their faith, not just observed it.
• their: (Greek: αὐτῶν, auton). This plural possessive pronoun is crucial. It refers specifically to the four men who carried the paralytic (Mk 2:3), highlighting that it was their collective and extraordinary faith, expressed through their actions (dismantling the roof), that caught Jesus' attention. It does not exclude the paralytic's own faith but emphasizes the communal effort.
• faith: (Greek: πίστιν, pistis). This term denotes active trust, firm conviction, and reliance upon Jesus' power. It was demonstrated through their unconventional and persistent efforts to get the paralytic to Jesus, symbolizing a complete reliance on Him for help, despite all obstacles. It implies more than mere intellectual assent; it was faith put into strenuous action.
• he said: Jesus speaks directly and authoritatively, indicating a performative utterance – His words are potent and accomplish what they declare.
• to the paralytic: The specific recipient of Jesus' direct attention, initially incapacitated by illness.
• “Son,” (Greek: τέκνον, teknon). A term of endearment, affection, and tenderness, much like "my child." It conveys compassion and dignity, establishing an intimate connection, showing care beyond merely addressing the physical ailment.
• your sins: (Greek: σοῦ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, sou hai hamartiai). A direct identification of the man's spiritual condition. In first-century Jewish thought, sickness was often, though not always (Jn 9:3), believed to be a consequence of sin. By addressing sin first, Jesus validated that connection in this instance, but more importantly, established His priority: the deeper, spiritual ailment of sin is His primary concern, foundational to human healing and reconciliation with God.
• are forgiven.” (Greek: ἀφέωνται, apheōntai, a perfect passive indicative of ἀφίημι, aphiemi). This perfect tense indicates a completed action with lasting results; the forgiveness is an accomplished fact by divine declaration, with continuing effects. The passive voice ("are forgiven") implies that God is the one doing the forgiving. This is the core claim of divine authority that immediately sparked controversy among the scribes present. Jesus isn't asking for forgiveness or facilitating it; He is declaring it, thereby exercising a divine prerogative.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "When Jesus saw their faith": This phrase highlights Jesus' divine discernment. He perceived the underlying spiritual reality (faith) that motivated the very visible physical actions of the friends. This discernment allowed Him to address the man's deepest need rather than just his visible one. It shows Jesus is not simply reacting to a request, but discerning the heart.
• "he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven'": This group of words signifies Jesus' immediate and surprising response. Rather than physically healing, He speaks a word of spiritual liberation. The tender address "Son" humanizes the exchange, preparing for the profound spiritual pronouncement "your sins are forgiven." This statement is a declaration of divine authority and grace, foregrounding the spiritual over the physical and immediately sparking theological contention.

Mark 2 5 Bonus section

• The term "Son" (teknon) in Mark's account is a distinct choice compared to the parallel accounts in Matthew ("take heart, son") or Luke ("man, your sins are forgiven"). Mark's simple and direct "Son" highlights Jesus' unique, compassionate intimacy and perhaps divine filiation being extended to this suffering individual.
• This verse represents a strategic move by Jesus. By addressing the man's spiritual condition first, He set up the very theological debate that follows, purposefully demonstrating His divine power and forcing the scribes to reckon with His claims. He exposed their inability to see beyond the physical and acknowledge His unique spiritual authority.

Mark 2 5 Commentary

Mark 2:5 encapsulates a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, serving as the dramatic inception of public theological opposition. Jesus’ profound observation of “their faith” underscores the significance of communal, active trust that pushes through conventional barriers, whether literal roofs or metaphorical limitations. His decision to address the paralytic’s spiritual malady ("your sins are forgiven") before his physical one ("paralytic") reveals Jesus' priorities and the true scope of His mission. This pronouncement was not merely therapeutic; it was a radical theological claim. In Jewish belief, only God could forgive sins. Therefore, Jesus' utterance of apheōntai—a divinely accomplished forgiveness with lasting effect—was perceived as an astonishing and potentially blasphemous assertion of deity. This act forced onlookers, particularly the scrutinizing scribes, to confront the unprecedented authority Jesus claimed, effectively framing the question "Who is this man?" that Mark's Gospel repeatedly poses. It emphasizes that while physical healing brings temporary relief, true, eternal healing lies in reconciliation with God through the forgiveness of sins, a power Jesus intrinsically possessed and openly demonstrated.