But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus' command to "take up your bed" isn't just about proving his power; it's a profoundly practical demonstration that the spiritual healing of forgiveness leads to tangible, everyday restoration. He’s showing that the burden of sin, once lifted, allows us to carry the very things that once weighed us down.
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just told the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven, which sparks outrage among the scribes present who believe only God can forgive sins. To demonstrate his divine authority and silence their accusations, Jesus directly challenges them by performing a visible miracle as proof of the invisible forgiveness he just granted.
Jesus uses a specific title for himself when confronting religious leaders. What does 'Son of Man' really mean, and why is it so significant here?
Jesus refers to himself as the 'Son of Man.' While this title can generally mean any human being, in Scripture, it's a profound declaration pointing to someone with divine authority. It’s deeply connected to the vision in Daniel 7, where a figure like a son of man receives everlasting dominion. Jesus uses this title to bridge His human nature with His divine power. He’s not just a man; He’s the God-man, possessing authority not only in heaven but specifically on earth to forgive sins. This title highlights His humility in taking on human flesh, which paradoxically underscores His exaltation and authority.
Jesus forgives the paralytic's sins before healing his body. Why the unusual order, and what does this reveal about His priorities?
The scribes are focused on Jesus' apparent blasphemy for forgiving sins. Jesus, however, knows their thoughts and uses their skepticism as an opportunity. He makes a crucial point: forgiving sins is a greater, more fundamental act than healing a physical ailment. While people could see the physical healing, only the paralytic would truly know the burden of his sins was lifted. Jesus prioritizes the spiritual healing, demonstrating that the forgiveness of sins is the ultimate restoration. The physical healing serves as visible proof of the unseen, yet more powerful, spiritual reality.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus doesn't just say He can forgive sins; He shows it. What's the connection between His command to the paralytic and His authority?
The ultimate proof Jesus offers to the skeptical onlookers and the paralytic himself is the physical healing. By commanding the man to 'Arise, pick up your bed and go home,' Jesus provides a tangible, undeniable demonstration of His authority to forgive sins. The physical act of rising, walking, and carrying his own bed is a visible sign that the invisible work of sin-forgiveness has indeed occurred. This isn't just about a medical cure; it's about power over the spiritual and physical realms, proving that His words carry divine weight and authority to bring about complete restoration.
Understand the original words
ho huios tou anthrōpou · Greek Noun Phrase
A messianic title derived from Daniel 7:13-14, referring to the representative human figure who possesses divine authority, power, and sovereignty, and is destined to judge and rule over all peoples.
exousia · Greek Noun
The legal right, power, or dominion to act; in the ministry of Jesus, it represents the divine mandate and inherent ability to perform miracles and grant spiritual standing before God.
This event occurs during Jesus' Galilean ministry, a time when his fame was spreading, drawing both crowds and skeptical religious authorities, setting the stage for this dramatic demonstration of divine power over sin and sickness.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus teaches and heals in Galilee
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching in synagogues and villages across Galilee, attracting crowds with his powerful words and miraculous healings, including the healing of lepers, the blind, and the demon-possessed.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisees and teachers of the law observe Jesus
Religious leaders from various regions, including Jerusalem, travel to Galilee to observe Jesus, intrigued and perhaps concerned by his growing influence and the crowds he draws.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Healing of the paralytic in Capernaum
Jesus, while teaching in a house in Capernaum, is approached by four men carrying a paralyzed man. Unable to reach Jesus due to the crowd, they lower him through the roof. Jesus first declares the man's sins forgiven, prompting the scribes to accuse him of blasphemy.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus demonstrates authority to forgive sins
To prove his authority to forgive sins, Jesus commands the paralyzed man to rise, pick up his mat, and go home. The man is instantly healed and obeys, astonishing the onlookers.
Early 1st century AD
Crowds glorify God
Witnessing the miracle and Jesus' divine authority, the crowds are filled with awe and fear, glorifying God for the power He has given to men.
This prophecy foretells the suffering servant who will 'see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied,' which points to the vicarious atonement for sins. Jesus' act of forgiving sins here is a direct fulfillment of this prophetic work.
Daniel 7:13-14This passage describes the 'Son of Man' receiving 'dominion and glory and a kingdom.' Jesus' use of the title 'Son of Man' in Luke 5:24 explicitly links his authority on earth to forgive sins with this divinely appointed, universal dominion.
Matthew 9:6This passage is the parallel account in Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus states even more directly, 'But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he said to the paralytic—Rise, take up your bed and go home.' It reinforces the dual nature of the miracle: spiritual forgiveness confirmed by physical healing.
1 John 1:9This verse provides the condition for receiving forgiveness: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' It highlights that while Jesus has the authority, our active confession is the pathway to experiencing that forgiveness.
Colossians 1:13-14This passage speaks of God delivering us from the power of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 'in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.' It underscores that forgiveness of sins, a power Jesus wields, is central to our salvation and new life in Christ.
cambridgeLuke 5:24: "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house."
24 . the Son of man ] Ben-Adam has a general sense of any human being ( Job 25:6 , &c.); in a special sense in the O. T. it is nearly 90 times applied to Ezekiel, though never used by himself of himself. In the N. T. it is 80 times used by Christ, but always by Himself, except in passages which…
jfbLuke 5:17-26: "And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them."
Lu 5:17-26. Paralytic Healed.(See on [1574]Mt 9:1-8).17. Pharisees and doctors … sitting by—the highest testimony yet borne to our Lord's growing influence, and the necessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout the country of…
Jesus' command to "take up your bed" isn't just about proving his power; it's a profoundly practical demonstration that the spiritual healing of forgiveness leads to tangible, everyday restoration. He’s showing that the burden of sin, once lifted, allows us to carry the very things that once weighed us down.
Jesus has just told the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven, which sparks outrage among the scribes present who believe only God can forgive sins. To demonstrate his divine authority and silence their accusations, Jesus directly challenges them by performing a visible miracle as proof of the invisible forgiveness he just granted.
Jesus has just told the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven, which sparks outrage among the scribes present who believe only God can forgive sins. To demonstrate his divine authority and silence their accusations, Jesus directly challenges them by performing a visible miracle as proof of the invisible forgiveness he just granted.
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”" — Jesus' command to "take up your bed" isn't just about proving his power; it's a profoundly practical demonstration that the spiritual healing of forgiveness leads to tangible, everyday restoration. H…
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Last reviewed October 2026