"Is it easier for me to tell this crippled man

that his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up
and pick up his mat and go on home? "

Jesus went back to Capernaum, and a few days later people heard that he was at home.  Then so many of them came to the house that there wasn't even standing room left in front of the door.

Jesus was still teaching when four people came up, carrying a crippled man on a mat.  But because of the crowd, they could not get him to Jesus.  So they made a hole in the roof above him and let the man down in front of everyone.

When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the crippled man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven."

Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses were sitting there.  They started wondering, "Why would he say such a thing?  He must think he is God!  Only God can forgive sins."

Right away, Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said, "Why are you thinking such things?  Is it easier for me to tell this crippled man that his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and pick up his mat and go on home?  I will show you that the Son of Man has the right to forgive sins here on earth."  So Jesus said to the man, "Get up!  Pick up your mat and go on home."

The man got right up.  He picked up his mat and went out while everyone watched in amazement.  They praised God and said, "We have never seen anything like this!"

                                                                                         Mark 2:1-12

Contemporary English Version The Holy Bible (New York , NY: American Bible Society 1995)