Luke 5:23
 Luke 5:23 
New International Version (©2011)
Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

New Living Translation (©2007)
Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?

English Standard Version (©2001)
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk '?

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, Get up and walk?

International Standard Version (©2012)
Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

NET Bible (©2006)
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and walk'?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
“Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you', or to say, 'Arise and walk?'

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Is it easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Which is easier, to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Rise up and walk?

American King James Version
Whether is easier, to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Rise up and walk?

American Standard Version
Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?

Darby Bible Translation
which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

English Revised Version
Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?

Webster's Bible Translation
Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise and walk?

Weymouth New Testament
Which is easier? --to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

World English Bible
Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you;' or to say, 'Arise and walk?'

Young's Literal Translation
which is easier -- to say, Thy sins have been forgiven thee? or to say, Arise, and walk?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:17-26 How many are there in our assemblies, where the gospel is preached, who do not sit under the word, but sit by! It is to them as a tale that is told them, not as a message that is sent to them. Observe the duties taught and recommended to us by the history of the paralytic. In applying to Christ, we must be very pressing and urgent; that is an evidence of faith, and is very pleasing to Christ, and prevailing with him. Give us, Lord, the same kind of faith with respect to thy ability and willingness to heal our souls. Give us to desire the pardon of sin more than any earthly blessing, or life itself. Enable us to believe thy power to forgive sins; then will our souls cheerfully arise and go where thou pleasest.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? The Heart-reader hears, perhaps, the murmur as it runs round the circle, and grasping in a moment all that was in the angry hearts of these men, said aloud, that all might hear, some such words as these, "See now what I am about to do. You, in your dim short-sighted wisdom, think my forgiving this poor repentant sinner his dark past, is but an empty, meaningless form of words. See now whether what I am about to do further for him is an empty meaningless boon."


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Whether is it easier to say,.... Mark adds, "to the sick of the palsy"; to whom Christ had said that his sins were forgiven him, which had given offence to the Scribes and Pharisees, imagining that he had assumed too much to himself: wherefore he proposes the following case to them, which they thought was most easy for man, or more proper and peculiar to God to say,

thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, rise up and walk? Neither of them could be said by a mere man, with effect, so as that sins would be really remitted on so saying; or that a man sick of a palsy, by such a word speaking, would be able to stand upon his feet and walk; but both of them were equally easy to him, that is truly God; and he that could say the one effectually, could also say the other: or in other words, he that could cure a man of a palsy with a word speaking, ought not to be charged with blasphemy, for taking upon him to forgive sin: our Lord meant, by putting this question, and acting upon it, to prove himself to be God, and to remove the imputation of blasphemy from him; See Gill on Matthew 9:5. See Gill on Mark 2:9.


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Jesus Heals a Paralytic
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said to them, What reason you in your hearts? 23Whether is easier, to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (he said to the sick of the palsy,) I say to you, Arise, and take up your couch, and go into your house. …

Matthew 9:2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
Matthew 9:5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?
Luke 5:22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
Luke 5:24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
Luke 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."