Mark 2:4

Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Four men carrying a paralytic act at a moment when a dense crowd blocks their path to Jesus. They respond to the obstruction by removing part of the roof above Jesus and lowering the mat through the opening.

The words — δυνάμενοι (dunamenoi) means "being able" and μὴ (mē) means "not," combining to state the literal inability to approach Jesus διὰ τὸν ὄχλον (on account of the crowd). προσενέγκαι (prosenengkai) literally means "to bring to" and denotes the intended action that the crowd prevented.

The thread — Luke 5:19 records the identical event with parallel phrasing regarding the crowd and roof access. Deuteronomy 22:8 mentions roof construction and safety measures, supplying the architectural context for how the roof was accessed and opened.

Why it lands — The text states that physical obstruction does not prevent determined action, which directly precedes Jesus' declaration of forgiveness. It requires the reader to observe how persistent effort functions as the visible mechanism of faith before any spiritual response occurs.

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 they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Cross-references

Luke 5:19 but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
Deuteronomy 22:8 If you build a new house, you are to construct a railing around your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it.