Luke 5:20

20 and he having seen their faith, said to him, `Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'

Luke 5:20 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 5:20

And when he saw their faith
That is, Jesus, as the Syriac and Persic versions express it; when he saw the faith both of the paralytic man, and of the men that brought him, which was shown in the pains they took, and trouble they were at, in getting him to him;

he said unto him.
The Vulgate Latin only reads, "he said"; but the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, still more fully express the sense, rendering it, "he said to the paralytic man"; and the Ethiopic version, "he said to the infirm man"; as follows:

man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
The other evangelists say, he said "son"; perhaps he used both words: however, all agree that he pronounced the forgiveness of sins, which were the cause of his disease; and which being removed, the effect must cease; so that he had healing both for soul and body; (See Gill on Matthew 9:2).

Luke 5:20 In-Context

18 And lo, men bearing upon a couch a man, who hath been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before him,

19 and not having found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the house-top, through the tiles they let him down, with the little couch, into the midst before Jesus,

20 and he having seen their faith, said to him, `Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, `Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?'

22 And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said unto them, `What reason ye in your hearts?