Mark 2:8-9

2:8 Now ¹  immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, ²  he said to them, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? ³  2:9 Which is easier, ⁴  to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk’?

[2:8]  ¹ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the shift from the thoughts of the experts in the law to Jesus’ response.

[2:8]  ² tn Grk “they were thus reasoning within themselves.”

[2:8]  ³ tn Grk “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?”

[2:9]  ⁴ sn Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare sins are forgiven is easier, since one does not need to see it, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, it is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin.