Luke - 5:23



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

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Luke 5:23.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise and walk?
Which is easier? - to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
Which is the simpler: to say, You have forgiveness for your sins; or to say, Get up and go?
Which is the easier? – to say 'Your sins have been forgiven you'? Or to say 'Get up, and walk'?

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

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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