Luke 5:19

19 but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. So they took him up on the roof and lowered him—cot and all—through the roof tiles into the crowded room in front of Jesus.

Luke 5:19 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 5:19

And when they could not find by what way
As by the door, or in at a window of the house:

they might bring him in;
to Jesus, in the house:

because of the multitude;
which was about the door, and all the fore part of the house:

they went upon the housetop;
by a ladder, or pair of stairs, which usually were on the outside of houses; (See Gill on Matthew 24:17) the houses of the Jews being flat roofed:

and let him down through the tiling with his couch,
into the midst before Jesus; that is, they untiled the roof, or took away the tiles which were about the trap door, or passage, into the inside of the house; and so making it wider, let down the man upon his couch, or bed, into the middle of the room and of the people, just before Jesus, where he was sitting; (See Gill on Mark 2:4).

Luke 5:19 In-Context

17 One day when Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and legal experts were sitting nearby. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. Now the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal.

18 Some men were bringing a man who was paralyzed, lying on a cot. They wanted to carry him in and place him before Jesus,

19 but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. So they took him up on the roof and lowered him—cot and all—through the roof tiles into the crowded room in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

21 The legal experts and Pharisees began to mutter among themselves, "Who is this who insults God? Only God can forgive sins!"