Jesus Heals a Paralytic
Matthew 9:1-8
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Matt.9.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- εμβας: VERB,aor,act,ptcp,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- πλοιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- διεπερασεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ιδιαν: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- πολιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 2:1 (structural): Direct parallel to Matthew 9:1–2: Jesus returns to Capernaum (‘his own city’) and the narrative immediately proceeds to the healing of the paralytic.
- Luke 5:17 (structural): Parallel scene to Matthew 9:1–8: Jesus is teaching in a house and a paralytic is brought to him after he is in the city, forming the same narrative unit as Matthew’s account.
- Mark 4:35 (verbal): Shares the boat-crossing motif and similar language about taking a boat and crossing the sea, echoing Matthew’s brief notice of crossing to the other side.
- Luke 8:22 (verbal): Another synoptic report of Jesus embarking and crossing the lake; parallels Matthew’s concise mention of Jesus getting into a boat and coming to the other side/his city.
Alternative generated candidates
- And getting into a boat he crossed over and came into his own city.
- And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.
Matt.9.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- προσεφερον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- παραλυτικον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- κλινης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- βεβλημενον: PTCP,perf,pass,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ιδων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πιστιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- παραλυτικω·Θαρσει: NOUN,dat,sg,m+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- τεκνον·αφιενται: NOUN,voc,sg,n+VERB,pres,pass,ind,3,pl
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- αμαρτιαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
Parallels
- Mark 2:5 (verbal): Direct parallel: Mark recounts the friends lowering the paralytic and Jesus, seeing their faith, says to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you'—very close verbal and narrative match.
- Luke 5:20 (verbal): Parallel account: Luke likewise records Jesus perceiving their faith and declaring the paralytic forgiven ('Friend/Man, your sins are forgiven you'), echoing Matthew's wording and emphasis on faith.
- Mark 2:9-10 (thematic): Thematic connection: In Mark Jesus links the pronouncement of forgiveness to his authority—'Which is easier...? That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins'—explaining the significance of the declaration in Matt 9:2.
- Matt 9:6 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel: Matthew immediately follows the forgiveness with the healing (verses 5–6), showing Jesus performs a visible healing so others may know he has authority to forgive sins.
- Luke 7:48 (thematic): Thematic parallel: Jesus' declaration 'Your sins are forgiven' to the penitent woman (because of her faith) parallels the link between faith and forgiveness found in the paralytic episode.
Alternative generated candidates
- And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Take heart, child; your sins are forgiven."
- And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven you.'
Matt.9.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- γραμματεων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ειπαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- εαυτοις·Ουτος: PRON,dat,pl,m + PRON,nom,sg,m
- βλασφημει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Mark 2:7 (verbal): Direct Synoptic parallel: scribes react to Jesus’ declaration about sins, accusing him of blasphemy; wording and context closely match Matthew 9:3.
- Luke 5:21 (verbal): Synoptic parallel: scribes and Pharisees question Jesus’ authority to forgive sins and conclude it is blasphemy—same episode as in Matthew 9:3.
- Matt.26:65 (quotation): Later instance at Jesus’ trial where the chief priests explicitly charge him with blasphemy for his claim (’’He has spoken blasphemy’’), echoing the earlier accusation.
- John 10:33 (thematic): Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of making himself God and thus blaspheming—a thematic parallel where opponents interpret Jesus’ claims as blasphemy.
Alternative generated candidates
- And behold, some of the scribes said among themselves, "This man blasphemes."
- And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, 'This man blasphemes.'
Matt.9.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ειδως: PART,perf,act,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- ενθυμησεις: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
- ειπεν·Ινατι: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ενθυμεισθε: VERB,pres,mid,ind,2,pl
- πονηρα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- εν: PREP
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- καρδιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
Parallels
- Mark 2:8 (verbal): Same pericope (healing of the paralytic); Mark explicitly states Jesus 'knew in his spirit' their thoughts—parallel language and immediate narrative counterpart to Matthew's 'knowing their thoughts.'
- Luke 5:22 (verbal): Lucan counterpart to the Matthean episode: Jesus perceives the scribes' thoughts and responds with the same challenge—'Why do you think evil in your hearts?' (very close verbal and contextual parallel).
- Matt.12:25 (verbal): Matthew elsewhere uses the same verb and phraseology ('knowing their thoughts') when Jesus perceives the inner reasoning of his opponents—an intra‑Gospel verbal parallel highlighting Jesus' discernment of hearts.
- John 2:24–25 (thematic): John emphasizes Jesus' knowledge of human hearts ('for he knew what was in man'), thematically parallel to Matthew's portrayal of Jesus perceiving others' inner thoughts and motives.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered, "Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?"
- But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?'
Matt.9.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τι: PRON,acc,sg,n
- γαρ: PART
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ευκοπωτερον: ADV,comp
- ειπειν·Αφιενται: VERB,aor,act,inf
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- αμαρτιαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ειπειν·Εγειρε: VERB,aor,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- περιπατει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Mark 2:9 (verbal): Nearly identical wording in Mark's account of the healing of the paralytic: the same rhetorical question contrasts saying 'Your sins are forgiven' with 'Get up and walk.' Mark adds the command to take up the mat.
- Luke 5:23 (verbal): Luke's parallel to Matthew uses the same rhetorical construction and vocabulary, serving the same function in Luke's version of the paralytic episode.
- Mark 2:10 (structural): Mark immediately explains the point of the contrast: 'that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' making explicit the theological significance implied by the question in Matthew 9:5.
- Isaiah 43:25 (allusion): OT background for the claim to forgive sins—God as the one who 'blots out' transgressions—providing the theological context that makes Jesus' pronouncement of forgiveness disruptive and theologically charged.
Alternative generated candidates
- For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
- For which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
Matt.9.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ινα: CONJ
- δε: CONJ
- ειδητε: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- εξουσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εχει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αφιεναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- τοτε: ADV
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- παραλυτικω·Εγερθεις: NOUN,dat,sg,m+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- αρον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- κλινην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- υπαγε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οικον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
Parallels
- Mark 2:9-12 (verbal): Direct synoptic parallel: Jesus declares the Son of Man's authority to forgive sins and then commands the paralytic to rise, take up his mat, and go home; very similar wording and sequence.
- Luke 5:24-25 (verbal): Synoptic parallel in Luke: Jesus states the authority to forgive sins and immediately heals the paralytic, emphasizing the link between Jesus' forgiving and his healing power.
- John 5:21-23 (thematic): Thematic parallel regarding the Son of Man's authority: John stresses that the Son (and Son of Man language) has been given divine authority by the Father to give life and to be honored, underpinning Jesus' authority on earth.
- Psalm 103:3-4 (thematic): Old Testament theme coupling forgiveness and healing: God is described as forgiving sins and healing diseases, a background motif that frames Jesus' simultaneous acts of forgiving and healing the paralytic.
- Isaiah 43:25 (allusion): Divine claim to blot out sins: Isaiah's assertion that God removes transgressions resonates with Jesus' claiming authority to forgive sins, implying a divine prerogative exercised in Jesus' ministry.
Alternative generated candidates
- But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—then he said to the paralytic, "Rise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
- But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—then he said to the paralytic, 'Rise, take up your bed, and go home.'
Matt.9.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εγερθεις: VERB,aor,pass,ptcp,nom,m,sg
- απηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οικον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 2:11-12 (verbal): Direct Synoptic parallel: Jesus commands the paralytic 'Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thine house,' and the man rises and goes away, as in Matthew 9:6–7.
- Luke 5:24-25 (verbal): Luke's account of the same pericope closely mirrors Matthew's wording; the paralytic 'arose, and departed to his house, glorifying God.'
- John 5:8-9 (verbal): Similar verbal motif and command: Jesus says 'Rise, take up thy bed, and walk,' and the healed man immediately rises and walks—paralleling the action in Matthew 9:7.
- Matt.9.6 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel within Matthew: verse 6 contains Jesus' command to 'Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house,' which verse 7 reports the man's response.
- Luke 8:54-55 (thematic): Thematic parallel of a miracle-command: Jesus' spoken 'Arise' to Jairus' daughter and her immediate rising echoes the motif of command and instant restoration found in Matthew 9:7.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he rose and went away to his house.
- And the man rose and went home.
Matt.9.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ιδοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- οχλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- εφοβηθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- εδοξασαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- θεον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- δοντα: VERB,aor,act,ptc,acc,sg,m
- εξουσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- τοιαυτην: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- ανθρωποις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 2:12 (verbal): Parallel pericope (healing of the paralytic); crowd's reaction is essentially the same—amazement and glorifying God because of the authority revealed in the miracle.
- Luke 5:26 (verbal): Synoptic parallel reporting identical response: all were amazed, filled with fear, and praised God for the extraordinary thing they had seen.
- Matthew 9:6 (structural): Immediate context: Jesus declares the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—this claim explains why the crowd glorifies God for granting such authority.
- Psalm 8:6 (thematic): Old Testament background about God giving dominion/authority to mankind (‘You have given him dominion over the works of your hands’), which undergirds the idea of God granting authority to humans.
- Hebrews 2:7-8 (quotation): New Testament citation of Psalm 8 applied christologically, discussing God’s grant of authority to humanity (and the Son), echoing the theme of God giving authority to human beings.
Alternative generated candidates
- And when the crowds saw it, they were filled with fear, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
- And when the crowds saw it they were afraid and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a bed; and Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven you." And behold, certain of the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes." But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, "Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
For which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?
Yet so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take up your bed, and go home." And he rose, took up the bed, and went away to his house.
When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.