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Luke 5:23

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Luke 5:23 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
Luke 5:23 — American Standard Version

Context — Luke 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
20And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22But Jesus perceiving their reasonings, answered and said unto them, Why reason ye in your hearts?
23Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house.
25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
26And amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.
← Luke 5:22Luke 5:24 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Whether is it easier to say, etc.] Mark adds, “to the sick of the palsy”; to whom Christ had said that his sins were forgiven him, which had given offence to the Scribes and Pharisees, imagining that he had assumed too much to himself: wherefore he proposes the following case to them, which they thought was most easy for man, or more proper and peculiar to God to say, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, rise up and walk? Neither of them could be said by a mere man, with effect, so as that sins would be really remitted on so saying; or that a man sick of a palsy, by such a word speaking, would be able to stand upon his feet and walk; but both of them were equally easy to him, that is truly…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 9:1-7. Luke 5:17 On a certain day - The time and place are not particularly mentioned here, but from Matthew 9:1 it seems it was at Capernaum. Luke 5:19 The tiling - See the notes at Matthew 9:1-7. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“5:23-24 Jesus showed his authority to forgive sins by healing the man.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Mat 9:5; Mar 2:9 Luke 5:24”
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Related study paths

Read Luke 5 in contextBrowse Greek word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification