Mark 2:7

New King James Version

"Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

King James Version (1611)
Why doeth this man thus speake blasphemies? Who can forgiue sinnes but God onely?

King James Version
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

English Standard Version
"Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

New American Standard Bible
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?"

New Century Version
"Why does this man say things like that? He is speaking as if he were God. Only God can forgive sins."

Amplified Bible
"Why does this man talk that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins [remove guilt, nullify sin's penalty, and assign righteousness] except God alone?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Legacy Standard Bible
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Berean Standard Bible
"Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Contemporary English Version
"Why would he say such a thing? He must think he is God! Only God can forgive sins."

Complete Jewish Bible
"How can this fellow say such a thing? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?"

Darby Translation
Why does this [man] thus speak? he blasphemes. Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?

Easy-to-Read Version
"Why does this man say things like that? What an insult to God! No one but God can forgive sins."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Why doeth this man speake such blasphemies? who can forgiue sinnes, but God onely?

George Lamsa Translation
Why does this man speak blasphemy? Who can forgive sins except God only?

Good News Translation
"How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!"

Lexham English Bible
"Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?"

Literal Translation
Why does this one speak blasphemies this way? Who is able to forgive sins, except One, God?

American Standard Version
Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even God?

Bible in Basic English
Why does this man say such things? he has no respect for God: from whom does forgiveness come but from God only?

Hebrew Names Version
"Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

International Standard Version
"Why does this man talk this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"Job 1:14:4; Isaiah 43:25;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Who is this uttering blasphemy ? Who can forgive sins but One, Aloha ?

Murdock Translation
Who is this speaking, blasphemy? Who can forgive sins, except God only?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why doeth he thus speake blasphemies? Who can forgeue sinnes, but God only?

English Revised Version
Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even God?

World English Bible
"Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Who can forgive sins, but God only?

Weymouth's New Testament
"Why does this man use such words?" they said; "he is blaspheming. Who can pardon sins but One--that is, God?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What spekith he thus? He blasfemeth; who may foryyue synnes, but God aloone?

Update Bible Version
Why does this man thus speak? he blasphemes: who can forgive sins but one, [even] God?

Webster's Bible Translation
Why doth this [man] thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

New English Translation
"Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

New Living Translation
"What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"

New Life Bible
"Why does this Man talk like this? He is speaking as if He is God! Who can forgive sins? Only One can forgive sins and that is God!"

New Revised Standard
"Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Why doth, this, man thus talk? he is speaking profanely! Who can forgive sins, save one, God?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Why doth this man speak thus? He blasphemeth. Who can forgive sins, but God only?

Revised Standard Version
"Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
how doeth this felowe so blaspheme? Who can forgeve synnes but God only?

Young's Literal Translation
`Why doth this one thus speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins except one -- God?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
How speaketh this man soch blasphemy? Who can forgeue synnes, but onely God?

Mace New Testament (1729)
why doth this man speak such blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God?

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Who does this cowboy think he is? Only God can forgive sins."

Contextual Overview

¹ Matthew 9:2-8; Luke 5:17-26">[xr] And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. ² Immediately [fn] many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. ³ Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." ⁶ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" ⁸ But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, "Arise, take up your bed and walk'? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the paralytic,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

speak: Mark 14:64, Matthew 9:3, Matthew 26:65, John 10:33, John 10:36

who: Job 14:4, Psalms 130:4, Isaiah 43:25, Daniel 9:9, Micah 7:18, Luke 5:21, Luke 7:49, John 20:20-23

Reciprocal: Isaiah 29:20 - and all Matthew 9:6 - that the Mark 2:16 - How Mark 2:24 - why Luke 7:39 - he spake Luke 9:10 - he took

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is Hiddekel; [fn] it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:15
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

Genesis 2:20
So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

Genesis 2:21
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

Genesis 3:23
therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 7:22
All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit [fn] of life, all that was on the dry land, died.

Numbers 16:22
Then they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?"

Numbers 27:16
"Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

Job 4:19
How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth?

Job 27:3
As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies?.... They took Christ to be a mere man, and reasoned with themselves, that he must be a blasphemer, in assuming that to himself, which was peculiar to God: they seem astonished at his words, and wonder at his arrogance, and to be filled with indignation and resentment at him; saying,

who can forgive sins but God only? this was a generally received maxim with them, and a very just one. The Chaldee paraphrase of

Job 14:4, runs thus;

"who can give a pure man out of a man that is defiled with sins, but God, who alone is he, די ישבוק ליה, "that can pardon him?"''

They even deny that Metatron, so they call the angel in Exodus 23:20, of whom they say, that his name is as the name of his master, has a power of forgiving sins; for which reason the Israelites rejected him as a messenger i. They were right in saying, that none but God could forgive sin, against whom it is committed; but wrong in charging Christ with blasphemy on this account; because he is truly God, as well as man, as his omniscience and omnipotence hereafter manifested, did abundantly show. That no mere creature can forgive sin, is certain: good men may, and ought to forgive one another, and even their very enemies; but then they can only forgive sin as an injury done to themselves, not as committed against God. The ministers of the Gospel may be said to remit sins ministerially, or declaratively, by preaching the doctrine of pardon, declaring, that such as believe in Christ shall receive the remission of sins; but for any man to assume such a power to himself, as to grant pardons and indulgences, to absolve from sins, is anti-christian, as the pope of Rome does; in which he takes that to himself, which is peculiar to God; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God, 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Nor can any man procure the forgiveness of his sins by any thing he has, or can do; not by his riches, which will not profit in a day of wrath, they being not a sufficient ransom price for a man's self, or any of his brethren and friends; nor by his repentance, for though this, and remission of sins, go together in grace and experience, yet repentance is not the cause of remission of sins, but rather the effect of remission applied; nor by his faith, for faith does not procure, but receives this blessing: and much less by good works, for then the forgiveness of sins would not be according to the riches of grace; and a man would be saved by his works, since a principal part of salvation lies in the pardon of sin; and besides the blood of Christ would be shed in vain. That God only can forgive sin, is evident, because it is against him, and him only, that men sin: sin is a transgression of his law, a contrariety to his nature, and a contradiction of his will, an affront to his justice and holiness, a contempt of him, who is the lawgiver, that is able to save and to destroy; it is of the nature of a debt, which he only can loose from. Moreover, if there were any besides himself that could forgive sin, he would have one equal with him, and like unto him; whereas, "who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity?" Micah 7:18. This is a prerogative peculiar to him, which he challenges to himself: "I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions", Isaiah 43:25, but then this is common to all the three divine persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit. The Father, he has prepared this grace in his own heart; for the moving cause of it, is his sovereign grace and mercy; he has promised and secured it in the covenant of his grace; he set forth, and sent forth his Son to obtain it, by the shedding of his blood, that so his justice might he satisfied; and it is for Christ's sake he forgives all trespasses. The Son of God is concerned in it: as man, his blood was, shed for it; and that being the blood, not of a mere man, but of him that is God, as well as man, it was effectual to that purpose; it is in his name that it is preached, and he is exalted as a Saviour to give it; and as the advocate of his people he calls for it, and requires it; and as he is truly and properly God, he has equal power to bestow it, and apply it as his Father. The holy Spirit, as he makes men sensible of their need of it, he shows it to them, and their interest in it; he sprinkles the blood of Christ upon their consciences, and declares them pardoned through it; he bears witness of the truth of it to them, and seals it up unto them; so that it is wholly of God.

i T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 38. 2. & Gloss. in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this miracle explained in Matthew 9:2-8.

Palsy - See the notes at Matthew 4:24.

Borne of four - Carried upon a couch Matthew 9:2 by four men.

Mark 2:4

The press - The crowd, the multitude of people. Jesus was probably in the large open area or hall in the center of the house. See the notes at Matthew 9:2. The people pressed into the area, and blocked up the door so that they could not have access to him.

They uncovered the roof where he was - See the notes at Matthew 9:2.

When they had broken it up - When they had removed the awning or covering, so that they could let the man down. See the notes at Matthew 9:2.

Mark 2:5

Their faith - Their confidence or belief that he could heal them.

Son - Literally, “child.” The Hebrews used the words “son” and “child” with a great latitude of signification. They were applied to children, to grandchildren, to adopted children, to any descendants, to disciples, followers, young people, and to dependents. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. In this place it denotes affection or kindness. It was a word of consolation - an endearing appellation, applied by the Saviour to the sick man to show his “compassion,” to inspire confidence, and to assure him that he would heal him.

We never saw it on this fashion - Literally, “We never saw it so.” We never saw anything like this.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Mark 2:7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? — See this explained Matthew 9:3, &c.