“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The most striking thing here is Jesus commanding the man to take up his bed. This wasn't just about healing; it was a public demonstration, forcing the man to carry the very symbol of his former helplessness as proof of his complete restoration.
“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is teaching in a crowded house in Capernaum when a man paralyzed from birth is brought to him. The scribes are present and immediately question Jesus' authority to forgive sins, which Jesus overhears. To prove he has the authority to forgive sins, Jesus commands the paralytic to stand up, pick up his mat, and go home.
Jesus didn't just heal the paralytic; He addressed the root of all suffering: sin. This was a radical claim that challenged religious leaders and revealed Jesus' true identity.
The scribes were incensed because they believed only God could forgive sins. Jesus, however, directly stated, “Your sins are forgiven you.” He then performed a physical miracle—healing the paralytic—as undeniable proof of His divine authority to forgive sins on earth.
The paralytic's friends didn't give up when faced with a crowd. Their creative and determined faith opened the way for Jesus to act, revealing a powerful truth about God's response to determined faith.
The crowd was so thick that getting the paralytic to Jesus seemed impossible. But his friends, driven by faith, devised an audacious plan: they climbed to the roof and lowered their friend directly to Jesus.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus commanded the man to 'take up your bed.' This wasn't just a recovery; it was a public, tangible display that proved the miracle was complete and undeniable.
The command for the paralytic to 'take up your bed' served as crucial evidence of his healing. It wasn't enough for him to simply stand; he had to physically lift and carry the very thing that had confined him.
Understand the original words
legō · Greek Verb
A command or declaration of authority, often implying that the speaker has the power to bring about what is spoken. In the ministry of Jesus, His word holds the authority of God Himself, capable of healing, forgiving, and creating reality.
krabattos · Greek Noun
A small, portable mat or pallet used by the poor in antiquity. In this context, it represents the physical burden of the paralytic that he is now empowered to carry away as a testimony of his healing.
This verse is the parallel account in Luke's Gospel, showing Jesus asserting His authority to forgive sins by commanding the paralytic to rise and walk.
Matthew 9:6This parallel passage in Matthew's Gospel highlights Jesus' dual authority: first to forgive sins, and then to heal the body as visible proof of that forgiveness.
John 5:8This passage describes Jesus healing a man at the pool of Bethesda with a similar command to 'rise, take up your bed, and walk,' demonstrating His power over physical infirmity.
Isaiah 35:6This Old Testament prophecy foretells a time when the lame would leap like a deer and the mute would sing, pointing to the miraculous healing power that Jesus demonstrated.
gillMark 2:11: "I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house."
I say unto thee, arise, and take up thy bed,.... He bid him, in an authoritative way to arise from his bed, in which he was brought, and on which he lay before him, and take it up upon his shoulders, directly, and in the face of all the people, carry it away: and go thy way into thine house; to show himself whole to his family and friends, and go about his business; See Gill on Matthew 9:6,
calvinMark 2:1-12: "And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house."
- And entering into a ship, he passed over, and came into his own city. 2. And, lo, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Take courage, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. 3. And, lo, some of the scribes said among themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4. And when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said, Why do you think evil…
The most striking thing here is Jesus commanding the man to take up his bed. This wasn't just about healing; it was a public demonstration, forcing the man to carry the very symbol of his former helplessness as proof of his complete restoration.
Jesus is teaching in a crowded house in Capernaum when a man paralyzed from birth is brought to him. The scribes are present and immediately question Jesus' authority to forgive sins, which Jesus overhears. To prove he has the authority to forgive sins, Jesus commands the paralytic to stand up, pick up his mat, and go home.
Jesus is teaching in a crowded house in Capernaum when a man paralyzed from birth is brought to him. The scribes are present and immediately question Jesus' authority to forgive sins, which Jesus overhears. To prove he has the authority to forgive sins, Jesus commands the paralytic to stand up, pick up his mat, and go home.
"“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”" — The most striking thing here is Jesus commanding the man to take up his bed. This wasn't just about healing; it was a public demonstration, forcing the man to carry the very symbol of his former he…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026