And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The specific detail of "borne by four men" isn't just a random detail; it highlights the man's utter helplessness and the immense effort and unity of his friends. This emphasis shows how desperately they sought healing for him, bringing him directly into Jesus' presence despite all obstacles.
And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has returned to Capernaum and is teaching in a house, drawing such a large crowd that people are pressed in from all sides. Into this packed scene, a group of four men urgently brings a paralytic, determined to get him to Jesus for healing. The narrative immediately sets up a tension between the overwhelming crowd and the friends' desperate effort to reach Jesus.
Four men, a paralytic, and an impossible journey. What does this scene reveal about the power of community?
This verse immediately drops us into an act of radical friendship and faith. Four men aren't just helping their buddy; they're actively bringing him to Jesus.
A Burden Shared
This man was paralyzed in body, but what deeper paralysis might he have been suffering from?
While the physical paralysis is obvious, the commentators hint at a spiritual dimension. The man's inability to move represents a deeper inability to reach God on his own.
The Deeper Paralysis
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Understand the original words
paralytikos · Greek Noun
A person suffering from paralysis or palsy, often used in the Gospels to depict physical infirmity that necessitated divine intervention. It symbolically points to the human condition of helplessness and the need for God’s grace.
This event occurs in Capernaum, a busy Galilean town that became Jesus' base of operations. The overwhelming crowds at Jesus' teaching sessions created a significant obstacle, forcing the paralytic's friends to find a remarkably creative way to reach him.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry Begins in Galilee
Jesus leaves Nazareth and begins his public ministry, primarily in Galilee. He calls his first disciples and begins teaching and performing miracles in towns like Capernaum.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus Teaches in Capernaum
Capernaum becomes a central base for Jesus' ministry. He teaches in synagogues and homes, drawing large crowds eager to hear him and witness his healing power.
Early 1st century AD
Growing Crowds and Opposition
As Jesus' fame spreads, crowds press in on him. This popularity also begins to attract the attention and scrutiny of religious leaders like the scribes and Pharisees.
This passage describes the same event, highlighting the efforts of the friends to bring the paralytic to Jesus, emphasizing their faith and determination.
Matthew 9:2Matthew's account of the same miracle focuses on Jesus seeing 'their faith' (referring to the friends), underscoring that their belief was instrumental in the healing.
John 5:8Jesus' command to the paralytic, 'Rise, pick up your bed, and walk,' echoes the power demonstrated here, showing Jesus' authority over physical infirmities.
Isaiah 35:6This prophecy speaks of a time when the lame would leap, foreshadowing the miraculous healing power that Jesus would demonstrate, like in this encounter.
barnesMark 2:3: "And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four."
See this miracle explained in Matthew 9:2-8 . Palsy - See the notes at Matthew 4:24. Borne of four - Carried upon a couch Matthew 9:2 by four men.
gillMark 2:3: "And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four."
And they came unto him,.... A considerable body of people, townsmen, friends, and relations of the person after mentioned: bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four; carried by four men upon their shoulders, as if he was a dead carcass; so weak and enfeebled was he by his disease, that he could not walk, or be otherwise brought; or rather upon a bed, which four men, at the four comers of i…
The specific detail of "borne by four men" isn't just a random detail; it highlights the man's utter helplessness and the immense effort and unity of his friends. This emphasis shows how desperately they sought healing for him, bringing him directly into Jesus' presence despite all obstacles.
Jesus has returned to Capernaum and is teaching in a house, drawing such a large crowd that people are pressed in from all sides. Into this packed scene, a group of four men urgently brings a paralytic, determined to get him to Jesus for healing. The narrative immediately sets up a tension between the overwhelming crowd and the friends' desperate effort to reach Jesus.
Jesus has returned to Capernaum and is teaching in a house, drawing such a large crowd that people are pressed in from all sides. Into this packed scene, a group of four men urgently brings a paralytic, determined to get him to Jesus for healing. The narrative immediately sets up a tension between the overwhelming crowd and the friends' desperate effort to reach Jesus.
"And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men." — The specific detail of "borne by four men" isn't just a random detail; it highlights the man's utter helplessness and the immense effort and unity of his friends. This emphasis shows how desperately…
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Last reviewed October 2026