Luke 5:17-26 Meaning: Jesus Shows His Authority
17On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them.
18Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.
19Not 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.
20Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
21The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
22But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?
23Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?
24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.”
25Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
26Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
17And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19And 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.
20And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
17And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judæa and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.
18And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19And 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.
20And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22But Jesus perceiving their reasonings, answered and said unto them, Why reason ye in your hearts?
23Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house.
25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
26And amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.
17And it came to pass, on one of the days, that he was teaching, and there were sitting by Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who were come out of every village of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was--to heal them.
18And lo, men bearing upon a couch a man, who hath been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before him,
19and 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,
20and he having seen their faith, said to him, `Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, `Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?'
22And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said unto them, `What reason ye in your hearts?
23which is easier--to say, Thy sins have been forgiven thee? or to say, Arise, and walk?
24`And that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority upon the earth to forgive sins--(he said to the one struck with palsy) --I say to thee, Arise, and having taken up thy little couch, be going on to thy house.'
25And presently having risen before them, having taken up that on which he was lying, he went away to his house, glorifying God,
26and astonishment took all, and they were glorifying God, and were filled with fear, saying--`We saw strange things to-day.'
17And it came to pass on one of the days, that he was teaching, and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and [out of] Jerusalem; and [the] Lord's power was [there] to heal them.
18And lo, men bringing upon a couch a man who was paralysed; and they sought to bring him in, and put [him] before him.
19And not finding what way to bring him in, on account of the crowd, going up on the housetop they let him down through the tiles, with his little couch, into the midst before Jesus.
20And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason [in their minds], saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins but God alone?
22But Jesus, knowing their reasonings, answering said to them, Why reason ye in your hearts?
23which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralysed man, I say to thee, Arise, and take up thy little couch and go to thine house.
25And immediately standing up before them, having taken up that whereon he was laid, he departed to his house, glorifying God.
26And astonishment seized all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.
Meaning in one sentence
In Luke 5:17-26, Jesus forgives a paralyzed man's sins, sparking controversy, then heals him to prove the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth.
Context
This passage comes early in Luke's Gospel, as Jesus is teaching in a crowded house at Capernaum. Pharisees and teachers of the law have traveled from every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem to observe him. Luke notes that the power of the Lord was present for healing. Into this scene come four men carrying a paralyzed friend on a mat. Unable to get through the crowd, they climb onto the flat roof, remove tiles, and lower their friend right in front of Jesus. What follows is a confrontation that reveals Jesus' identity and mission.
Key Words
Three Greek words anchor this story. The first is dunamis, translated 'power' in verse 17. It means active, miracle-working strength, not just potential, but the kind of power that sets people free. Luke says this power was present with Jesus to heal, a sign that God was at work in a new way.
The second is pistis, 'faith.' When Jesus saw their faith, he wasn't looking at a mental agreement. Pistis means trust that moves you to act. These men tore open a roof because they believed Jesus could change everything. Their faith was practical, risky, and determined.
The third is exousia, 'authority.' Jesus claims the authority to forgive sins, something the religious leaders rightly said only God can do. Exousia is not delegated power but inherent right. Jesus backs up his invisible claim with a visible miracle: the man gets up and walks. The same authority is available to you today.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions see this story as a clear revelation of Jesus' divine identity. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, argues that if Jesus were not God, forgiving sins would be blasphemy, so the miracle proves who he is. Catholic teaching has understood the authority to forgive sins as passing to the Church through the apostles, while many Protestant readers emphasize the direct personal forgiveness each believer receives through faith. Orthodox tradition highlights how Jesus heals both soul and body, restoring the whole person. All agree that the central gift here is forgiveness, and that it comes through the Son of Man.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume the paralyzed man had no faith of his own, that he was simply carried by the faith of his friends. In fact, Jesus addresses him directly: 'Man, your sins are forgiven you.' The man's willingness to be brought and his immediate obedience in rising and walking show his personal trust. The friends' faith opens the door, but Jesus meets the man face to face.
Living This Out
Is there something heavy you have been carrying that feels too awkward or impossible to bring to Jesus? A persistent sin you cannot shake, a relationship that hurts, a health problem that drains you? The friends in this story did not let the crowd stop them. They found a creative, determined way to get their friend to Jesus. You can come the same way: honestly, with people beside you, not caring how it looks. Jesus sees faith that acts. And his first word might be the one you need most: 'Your sins are forgiven.' That is the beginning of everything. From there, he will show you what he can do.
Main takeaway: Jesus has authority to forgive sins, proved by healing, so we can come to him with full confidence for both forgiveness and restoration.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some friends wanted to bring their sick friend to Jesus. The house was too crowded, so they made a hole in the roof and lowered him down. Jesus saw how much they trusted Him. He forgave the man and made him walk. You can trust Jesus with anything.
For ages 9, 12
When the paralyzed man's friends couldn't get through the door, they didn't give up. They went up on the roof, removed tiles, and lowered their friend right in front of Jesus. That took courage and determination. Jesus saw their faith, not just their actions, but their trust in Him. He first forgave the man's sins, which surprised everyone. Then He healed him to prove He has God's authority. This shows that Jesus cares about our whole life: our relationship with God and our physical needs. When you face an obstacle, remember those friends. Be creative and persistent in bringing people to Jesus.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jesus forgive the paralyzed man before healing him?
Jesus wanted to show that the deepest human need is forgiveness of sins, not just physical healing. By forgiving first, he revealed his identity as the one who can restore our relationship with God. The healing then proved that his forgiveness is real and authoritative.
What does 'Son of Man' mean in Luke 5:24?
Son of Man is the title Jesus uses most often for himself. It comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where a figure like a son of man is given authority over all nations. Jesus uses it to claim divine authority while identifying with humanity. It points to both his humility and his power.
Did the friends' faith save the paralyzed man, or did he have his own faith?
Both matter. Jesus saw 'their faith', the friends' determined trust. But he spoke directly to the man: 'Man, your sins are forgiven you.' The man's willingness to be brought, to receive forgiveness, and to obey by rising show that he also trusted Jesus. The friends carried him, but Jesus met him personally.
Why were the Pharisees so upset by Jesus forgiving sins?
In Jewish theology, only God can forgive sins. The Pharisees believed Jesus was a mere man, so they heard his words as blasphemy, claiming a power that belongs to God alone. Their opposition forced Jesus to prove his divine authority by performing a miracle they could not deny.
What does 'the power of the Lord was present to heal' mean?
Luke emphasizes that God's active, miracle-working power (the Greek word dunamis) was available through Jesus at that moment. It was not just a general blessing but a specific enablement for healing. This power is the same that raised Jesus from the dead and is available to believers through the Holy Spirit.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study