Luke 5:19

19 And they found not in what part they should bear him in, for the people, and they went upon the roof [And they not finding in what part they should bear him in, for the company of people, ascended up on the roof], and by the slates they let him down with the bed, into the midst, before 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 And it was done in one of the days, he sat, and taught [and he sitting taught]; and there were Pharisees sitting, and doctors of the law, that came of each castle of Galilee, and of Judaea, and of Jerusalem [+that came from each castle of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem]; and the virtue of the Lord was to heal sick men.
18 And lo! men bare in a bed a man that was sick in the palsy [that was sick in palsy], and they sought to bear him in, and set before him [and to put before him].
19 And they found not in what part they should bear him in, for the people, and they went upon the roof [And they not finding in what part they should bear him in, for the company of people, ascended up on the roof], and by the slates they let him down with the bed, into the midst, before Jesus.
20 And when Jesus saw the faith of them, he said, Man, thy sins be forgiven to thee.
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to think, saying, Who is this, that speaketh blasphemies? who may forgive sins, but God alone?
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.