Bible Strands
Luke 5:20
When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses a paralyzed man lowered through a roof by companions, speaking immediately after observing the group's collective trust.
The words — ἰδὼν (idōn) means “having seen,” marking Jesus’ prior observation of their trust. ἄνθρωπε (anthrōpe) literally translates as “man,” functioning as his direct address before the pardon.
The thread — Jesus’ authority to forgive sins appears in Matthew 9:2, while Acts 14:9 notes the same pattern of faith preceding divine action. The practical outworking of this pardon is later commanded in Colossians 3:13.
Why it lands — The text requires a reader to recognize that forgiveness originates from Jesus’ sight of faith, not human merit. It demands immediate alignment with that authority rather than independent justification.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Cross-references
- Acts 14:9 This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
- 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.”
- Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
- Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
- Luke 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
- John 2:25 He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.
- Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,
- Psalms 90:7 For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.