Matthew 9 · Verse 5

Matthew 9:5

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
Matthew 9:5, King James Version

Matthew 9:5 in other translations

BSBWhich is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’
WEBFor which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?
ASVFor which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and walk?
YLTfor which is easier? to say, The sins have been forgiven to thee; or to say, Rise, and walk?
DARBYFor which is easier: to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Rise up and walk?
BBEFor which is the simpler, to say, You have forgiveness for your sins; or to say, Get up and go?
WebsterFor which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

What does Matthew 9:5 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 For 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 placed after easier, and to say, made the first part of the question.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 9:1-8

The faith of the friends of the paralytic in bringing him to Christ, was a strong faith; they firmly believed that Jesus Christ both could and would heal him. A strong faith regards no obstacles in pressing after Christ. It was a humble faith; they brought him to attend on Christ. It was an active faith. Sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may be removed, yet the sin not pardoned: but…

Read the full comment on Matthew 9:1-8 →

Matthew 9:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τίtiWhichG5101
γάρgarforG1063
ἐστινestinisG1510
εὐκοπώτερον·eukopōteroneasier;G2123
εἰπεῖν·eipeinto say;G2036
ἀφίενταίaphientaiAre forgivenG863
σουsouof youG4771
αἱhaitheG3588
ἁμαρτίαι,hamartiaisins,G266
ἢēorG2228
εἰπεῖν·eipeinto say;G2036
ἔγειρεegeiredo ariseG1453
καὶkaiandG2532
περιπάτει;peripateido walk?G4043

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 9:5

  • John 5:8-14

    Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. …

  • Mark 2:9-12

    Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

  • Acts 3:16

    And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

  • Luke 5:23-25

    Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But 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. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

  • Acts 14:8-11

    And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

  • Acts 3:6-11

    Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: …

  • Isaiah 35:5-6

    Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

  • Acts 9:34

    And Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

  • John 5:17-18

    But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

  • Acts 4:9-10

    If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
whether.
Mr 2:9-12; Lu 5:23-25
Arise.
Isa 35:5,6; Joh 5:8-14,17,18; Ac 3:6-11,16; 4:9,10; 9:34; 14:8-11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 9:4

    And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

  • Matthew 9:5

    For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

  • Matthew 9:6

    But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

Read all of Matthew 9

Matthew 9:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Porque, ¿qué es más fácil, decir: Los pecados te son perdonados; ó decir: Levántate, y anda?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Car lequel est le plus facile, de dire: Tes péchés sont pardonnés, ou de dire: Lève-toi et marche?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Denn was ist leichter, zu sagen: Deine Sünden sind vergeben, oder zu sagen: Stehe auf und wandle?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quid est facilius dicere: Dimittuntur tibi peccata tua: an dicere: Surge, et ambula?