Luke 5:19
New International Version
When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

New Living Translation
but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

English Standard Version
but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.

Berean Standard Bible
but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

Berean Literal Bible
And not having found what way they should bring him in, on account of the crowd, having gone up on the housetop, they let him down with the mat through the tiles, into the midst before Jesus.

King James Bible
And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

New King James Version
And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

New American Standard Bible
But when they did not find any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

NASB 1995
But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

NASB 1977
And not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, right in the center, in front of Jesus.

Legacy Standard Bible
But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

Amplified Bible
But finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof [and removed some tiles to make an opening] and lowered him through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

Christian Standard Bible
Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the mat through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.

American Standard Version
And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

Contemporary English Version
But because of the crowd, they could not get him to Jesus. So they went up on the roof, where they removed some tiles and let the mat down in the middle of the room.

English Revised Version
And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But they could not find a way to get him into the house because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. They made an opening in the tiles and let the man down on his stretcher among the people. (They lowered him in front of Jesus.)

Good News Translation
Because of the crowd, however, they could find no way to take him in. So they carried him up on the roof, made an opening in the tiles, and let him down on his bed into the middle of the group in front of Jesus.

International Standard Version
When they couldn't find a way to get him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on his stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the room, right in front of Jesus.

Majority Standard Bible
but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

NET Bible
But since they found no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the roof tiles right in front of Jesus.

New Heart English Bible
Not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the midst before Jesus.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went upon the house-top, and let him down through the tiling with his couch, into the midst before Jesus.

Weymouth New Testament
But when they could find no way of doing so because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiling--bed and all--into the midst, in front of Jesus.

World English Bible
Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and having not found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the housetop, through the tiles they let him down with the little bed, into the midst before Jesus,

Berean Literal Bible
And not having found what way they should bring him in, on account of the crowd, having gone up on the housetop, they let him down with the mat through the tiles, into the midst before Jesus.

Young's Literal Translation
and not having found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the house-top, through the tiles they let him down, with the little couch, into the midst before Jesus,

Smith's Literal Translation
And not finding how they might bring him in, for the crowd, having ascended upon the house, they put him down through the tiles, with the small couch, in the midst before Jesus.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof, and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the midst before Jesus.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And not finding a way by which they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they climbed up to the roof, and they let him down through the roof tiles with his bed, into their midst, in front of Jesus.

New American Bible
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.

New Revised Standard Version
but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when they found they were not able to carry him in, because of many people, they went up on the roof, and they lowered him down on his quilt-bed from the ceiling into the midst before Jesus.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when they found no way to bring him in because of the crowd of people, they went up by themselves to the roof and lowered him with the pallet from the tiles into the center, in front of Yeshua.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And finding no way by which they could bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up on the top of the house, and, through the tiling, let him down, with his bed, into the midst before Jesus.

Godbey New Testament
And not having found by what way they may bring him in on account of the crowd, going upon the house, they let him down through the tiles along with the bed in their midst in the presence of Jesus.

Haweis New Testament
And not discovering by what means they could introduce him, because of the crowd, they went up to the roof, and through the tiling let him down with his little couch into the midst, before Jesus.

Mace New Testament
but when they found it impracticable to bring him in through the crowd, they went up the gallery to the leads, and let him down through the ceiling in his bed among the company, where Jesus was,

Weymouth New Testament
But when they could find no way of doing so because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiling--bed and all--into the midst, in front of Jesus.

Worrell New Testament
And, not finding by what means they might bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the housetop, they let him down through the tiles with the couch, into the midst, before Jesus.

Worsley New Testament
but when they could not find what way to bring him in because of the croud, they went up on the battlements of the house, and let him down from the roof with his couch, into the midst before Jesus,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
18Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus, 19but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”…

Cross References
Mark 2:4
Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat.

Matthew 9:2
Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

John 5:8-9
Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” / Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,

Acts 9:33-34
There he found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. / “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,

Matthew 12:13
Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.

Mark 3:3-5
Then Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up among us.” / And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent. / Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored.

John 9:6-7
When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. / Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.

Acts 3:6-8
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” / Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. / He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.

2 Kings 1:2
Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”

2 Kings 5:10-14
Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.” / But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy. / Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ...

1 Kings 17:21-22
Then he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return to him!” / And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah, and the child’s life returned to him, and he lived.

2 Kings 4:32-35
When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. / So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. / Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm. ...

Isaiah 35:5-6
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. / Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Isaiah 53:4
Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

Psalm 103:3
He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,


Treasury of Scripture

And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went on the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the middle before Jesus.

they went.

Mark 2:4
And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

housetop.

Deuteronomy 22:8
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.

2 Samuel 11:2
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

Jeremiah 19:13
And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

Jump to Previous
Account Carrying Cot Couch Crowd Find Finding Front House Housetop House-Top Jesus Lowered Mass Mat Middle Midst Multitude Palsied Party Roof Stretcher Tiling Top Way
Jump to Next
Account Carrying Cot Couch Crowd Find Finding Front House Housetop House-Top Jesus Lowered Mass Mat Middle Midst Multitude Palsied Party Roof Stretcher Tiling Top Way
Luke 5
1. Jesus teaches the people out of Peter's ship;
4. shows how he will make them fishers of men;
12. cleanses the leper;
16. prays in the desert;
17. heals a paralytic;
27. calls Matthew the tax collector;
29. eats with sinners, as being the physician of souls;
33. foretells the fasting and afflictions of the apostles after his ascension;
36. and illustrates the matter by the parable of patches.














But finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd
This phrase highlights the determination and faith of the friends of the paralytic man. The Greek word for "crowd" (ὄχλος, ochlos) often refers to a large, pressing group of people, indicating the popularity and draw of Jesus' ministry at this time. The friends' inability to access Jesus through conventional means underscores the barriers that often exist in seeking divine intervention, yet their persistence is a testament to their belief in Jesus' power to heal.

they went up on the roof
In the historical context of first-century Palestine, houses typically had flat roofs made of beams covered with branches and clay. The act of going up on the roof demonstrates both ingenuity and desperation. It reflects a cultural understanding of communal living spaces where roofs were accessible and sometimes used for various activities. This action symbolizes the lengths to which believers must sometimes go to reach Jesus, overcoming physical and societal obstacles.

and lowered him on his mat
The "mat" (κράββατος, krabbatos) was a simple pallet or bed used by the poor and infirm. This detail emphasizes the man's helplessness and dependence on others, both physically and spiritually. The act of lowering him through the roof is a vivid illustration of faith in action, where the friends' belief in Jesus' healing power is manifested through their creative and bold efforts.

through the tiles
The mention of "tiles" (κεράμιον, keramion) suggests a more permanent and possibly wealthier structure, as tiles were not common in all homes. This detail may indicate the setting was in a more urban area, possibly Capernaum, where Jesus often taught. The removal of tiles signifies a breaking through barriers, both literal and metaphorical, to access Jesus' presence.

into the middle of the crowd
This phrase places the paralytic man at the center of attention, highlighting the urgency and immediacy of his need. The "middle" (μέσος, mesos) signifies not only a physical location but also the centrality of faith in the narrative. It underscores the idea that faith often requires boldness and a willingness to be vulnerable before others.

right in front of Jesus
The positioning "right in front of Jesus" (ἔμπροσθεν, emprosthen) is significant, as it places the man directly in the presence of the one who has the power to heal. This phrase emphasizes the importance of being in the presence of Christ for transformation and healing. It serves as a reminder that faith brings us directly before Jesus, where our needs are met and our lives are changed.

(19) With his couch.--The Greek word is the diminutive of the word translated "bed" in Luke 5:18, and is used, apparently, as St. Mark uses the Latin grabatum, to show how it was that the process described was possible.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
but
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they could not find
εὑρόντες (heurontes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

a way
ποίας (poias)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4169: Of what sort. From the base of pou and hoios; individualizing interrogative what sort of, or which one.

through
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

crowd.
ὄχλον (ochlon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3793: From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.

So they went up
ἀναβάντες (anabantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 305: To go up, mount, ascend; of things: I rise, spring up, come up. From ana and the base of basis; to go up.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

roof
δῶμα (dōma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1430: The roof (of a house), the top of the house. From demo; properly, an edifice, i.e. a roof.

and lowered
καθῆκαν (kathēkan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2524: To send, let down, lower. From kata; and hiemi; to lower.

him
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

on
σὺν (syn)
Preposition
Strong's 4862: With. A primary preposition denoting union; with or together.

[his]
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

mat
κλινιδίῳ (klinidiō)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2826: A couch or litter of a sick person. Neuter of a presumed derivative of kline; a pallet or little couch.

through
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

tiles
κεράμων (keramōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2766: A tile; practically: the roof. Probably from the base of kerannumi; earthenware, i.e. A tile.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

middle [of the crowd],
μέσον (meson)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3319: Middle, in the middle, between, in the midst of. From meta; middle (neuter) noun).

right in front of
ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen)
Preposition
Strong's 1715: From en and pros; in front of (literally or figuratively) or time).

Jesus.
Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.


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NT Gospels: Luke 5:19 Not finding a way to bring him (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 5:18
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