Amplified Bible
Matthew 9:5
5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven and the penalty paid,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? [Both are possible for God; both are impossible for man.]
Matthew 9:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
- New International Version (NIV)Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
- English Standard Version (ESV)For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
- New King James Version (NKJV)For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?
Context of Matthew 9:5
3And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes [by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God]!” 4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven and the penalty paid,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? [Both are possible for God; both are impossible for man.] 6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority and the power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.” 7And he got up and went home [healed and forgiven].
Read all of Matthew 9Matthew 9:5 word by word
τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον· εἰπεῖν· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whetherτίςtis · which?G5101
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- easierεὐκοπώτεροςeukopōteros · easyG2123
- to sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- sinsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- sinsἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
- be forgivenἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: forgiveG863
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- orἤē · orG2228
- Ariseἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- walkπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
Cross-references for Matthew 9:5
- Mark 2:9Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your mat and walk’?
- Luke 5:23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
- Isaiah 35:5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
- John 5:8Jesus said to him, “Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.”
- Acts 3:6But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have I give to you: In the name (authority, power) of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—[begin now to] walk and go on walking!”
- Acts 4:9if we are being put on trial today [to interrogate us] for a good deed done to [benefit] a disabled man, as to how this man has been restored to health,
- Acts 9:34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately Aeneas got up.
- Acts 14:8Now at Lystra a man sat who was unable to use his feet, for he was crippled from birth and had never walked.
Commentaries on Matthew 9:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? - Both are equally easy, and equally difficult; for both require unlimited power to produce them. And every thing is equally easy to that power which is unlimited. A universe can be as easily produced by a single act of the Divine will as the smallest elementary part of matter. The common punctuation of the above passage almost destroys the sense: the comma should be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For whether is easier to say - Thy “sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?” The one involves divine “power,” the other divine “authority,” and neither can be done but by God. One is as easy as the other; and to be able to do the one, involves the right and the power to do the other.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5It may seem easier for Jesus to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” since no one can see immediate proof. But it is much harder to heal a paralyzed man so that he can walk. The visible miracle proved that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins. It forced those who saw it to decide what they believed about him.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 9:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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