And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "extraordinary things" (paradoxa) reveals more than just a shocking event; it points to a miracle that defied all common understanding and expectations of how the world should work. This wasn't just a great deed; it was something fundamentally contrary to their established opinions and experience, prompting a profound, almost unsettling awe.
And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this moment, Jesus had healed a man paralyzed from birth, and even more astonishingly, declared his sins forgiven, a power the religious leaders present saw as blasphemy. Now, the crowd, the very people who had brought the man to Jesus and witnessed this extraordinary act, are utterly stunned, marveling at the impossible things they've just seen and giving praise to God for the divine power displayed.
Have you ever seen something so incredible it left you speechless? The people in this story did just that. They witnessed Jesus do something truly out of the ordinary.
The word for 'extraordinary things' or 'strange things' in the original Greek is 'paradoxa'. This word is built from terms meaning 'contrary to opinion'. It describes something that seems impossible or defies normal understanding, like a paradox in logic.
Imagine witnessing a man, paralyzed for years, suddenly stand up and walk. This wasn't just a minor healing; it was a supernatural event that fundamentally challenged what these onlookers thought was possible. They weren't just surprised; they were confronted with a reality that went beyond their everyday experience and understanding of how the world works.
The people were amazed, but their reaction didn't stop there. Their astonishment quickly turned into something much deeper, leading them to God.
The verse tells us they were not only 'amazed' but also 'glorified God' and 'filled with awe'. This wasn't just a fleeting moment of shock. Their experience with Jesus' power prompted a profound recognition of God's presence and authority.
This amazement wasn't just about Jesus' abilities; it was about who He revealed God to be. Seeing the miraculous work, they understood that God was actively at work in and through Jesus. This led them to praise Him, acknowledging His divine power and goodness.
Understand the original words
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ekstasis · Greek Noun
A profound state of emotional or intellectual disturbance, often caused by the unexpected intervention of the divine or miraculous. It signifies a loss of ordinary control when faced with the power or presence of God.
doxazō · Greek Verb
To acknowledge, exalt, or celebrate the inherent dignity, holiness, and character of God. It is a posture of worship where human beings declare the truth of who God is in response to His works.
phobos · Greek Noun
A reverential, holy fear or trembling characterized by a profound sense of awe in the presence of divine manifestation. It is the appropriate human response to the holiness of God.
The amazement described in this verse stems from witnessing an event that defied ordinary understanding – the direct forgiveness of sins followed by an immediate, miraculous physical healing. This was seen as 'strange' or 'paradoxical' because it went against prevailing opinions and demonstrated a divine authority previously unseen.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching and performing miracles. His growing fame attracted large crowds, including religious leaders from across the region.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisees and Teachers of the Law Observe Jesus
Pharisees and teachers of the law, some having traveled from Jerusalem, came to observe Jesus. They were a significant religious and political force, and their presence indicated the growing attention Jesus was receiving.
Early 1st century AD
Healing of the Paralytic
Jesus taught a crowd in a house in Capernaum. A paralyzed man, carried by four friends, was lowered through the roof when the crowd blocked their access. Jesus first forgave the man's sins, then healed him physically, causing astonishment.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Authority Questioned
The scribes present questioned Jesus' authority to forgive sins, viewing it as blasphemy. Jesus responded by demonstrating His authority through the physical healing of the paralytic, a visible sign to validate His spiritual power.
This passage describes God revealing His glory and performing mighty deeds, causing awe and wonder similar to the reaction to Jesus' miracle in Luke 5.
Isaiah 35:5-6This prophecy foretells the restoration of the blind, deaf, and lame through God's direct intervention, mirroring the healing power displayed and the resulting amazement when Jesus heals the paralytic.
Matthew 9:8This is the parallel account of the same event, explicitly stating that the crowds glorified God because He had given such authority to men, echoing the astonishment and praise in Luke 5:26.
John 1:14This verse speaks of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, full of grace and truth, suggesting that the extraordinary things seen in Jesus were the visible manifestation of God's presence and power.
Acts 2:22Peter describes Jesus as a man accredited by God with miracles, wonders, and signs, which directly relates to the crowd's response of seeing 'extraordinary things' and glorifying God for what Jesus did.
clarkeLuke 5:26: "And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day."
Strange things - Παραδοξα, paradoxes. A paradox is something that appears false and absurd, but is not really so: or, something contrary to the commonly received opinion. We have seen wonders wrought which seem impossible; and we should conclude them to be tricks and illusions, were it not for the indisputable evidence we have of their reality.
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…
The phrase "extraordinary things" (paradoxa) reveals more than just a shocking event; it points to a miracle that defied all common understanding and expectations of how the world should work. This wasn't just a great deed; it was something fundamentally contrary to their established opinions and experience, prompting a profound, almost unsettling awe.
Just before this moment, Jesus had healed a man paralyzed from birth, and even more astonishingly, declared his sins forgiven, a power the religious leaders present saw as blasphemy. Now, the crowd, the very people who had brought the man to Jesus and witnessed this extraordinary act, are utterly stunned, marveling at the impossible things they've just seen and giving praise to God for the divine power displayed.
Just before this moment, Jesus had healed a man paralyzed from birth, and even more astonishingly, declared his sins forgiven, a power the religious leaders present saw as blasphemy. Now, the crowd, the very people who had brought the man to Jesus and witnessed this extraordinary act, are utterly stunned, marveling at the impossible things they've just seen and giving praise to God for the divine power displayed.
"And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”" — The phrase "extraordinary things" (paradoxa) reveals more than just a shocking event; it points to a miracle that defied all common understanding and expectations of how the world should work. This w…
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Last reviewed October 2026