One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in the Law were sitting near Him. They had come out of every village in Galilee and Judea as well as from Jerusalem. The Lord's power to heal people was with Him.

   Soon some men arrived carrying a paralytic on a small bed and they kept trying to carry him in to put him down in front of Jesus. When they failed to find a way of getting Him in because of the dense crowd, they went up to the top of the house and let him down, bed and all, through the tiles, into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven."

   The scribes and the Pharisees began to argue about this, saying, "Who is this man who talks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins? Only God can do that."

   Jesus realized what was going on in their minds and spoke straight to them. "Why must you argue like this in your minds? Which do you suppose is easier - to say, 'Your sins are forgiven' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But to make you realize that the Son of Man has full authority on earth to forgive sins - I tell you," He said to the man who was paralyzed, "get up, pick up your bed and go home!"

   Instantly the man sprang to his feet before their eyes, picked up the bedding on which he used to lie, and went off home, praising God. Sheer amazement gripped every man present, and they praised God and said in awed voices, "We have seen incredible things today."

   Is one of you ill? He should send for the elders of the congregation to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer offered in faith will save the sick man, the Lord will raise him from his bed, and any sins he may have committed will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, and then you will be healed. A good man's prayer is powerful and effective.

   Elijah was a man with human frailties like our own; and when he prayed earnestly that there should be no rain, not a drop fell on the land for three years and a half; then he prayed again, and down came the rain and the land bore crops once more.

Taken from Lk. 5, Jas. 5, The Phillips Translation and The New English Bible.
For free Lifescope book, write to Box 1575, Carlsbad, NM 88221.
Please send $1.00 for postage and handling.