4And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.
The Greek that is translated in English with “remove the roof” is translated into Avaric with an existing term: t’ox bichize. “Demolishing a roof in order to reach the interior of a house is an entirely familiar action, used, for example, in assaults on strongholds and fortified buildings in wartime; there is even a special phrase for this in Avaric (t’ox bichize).” (Source: Magomed-Kamil Gimbatov and Yakov Testelets in The Bible Translator 1996, p. 434ff. .
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated with the professional term Dach abdecken or “unroof.” In Luke 5:19, the Greek text only implies the removing of the roof but Berger / Nord add deckten einige Ziegel ab or “remove some roof tiles” for clarification.
The Greek terms that are translated “mat” or “bed” or similar in English are translated in Ebira as odooro or “stretcher.” Hans-Jürgen Scholz (in Holzhausen 1991, p. 42f.) explains the long odyssey of finding the right term: The regular term for “bed” (ode) didn’t work since this only referred to the traditional raised mud floor used for sleeping which was unmovable and could not be used in the story. The term iveedi was used for a movable bed with a metal frame also did not work since it exclusively referred to modern beds imported from Japan which of course could also not be used in the context of the story. The word for “mat” (uvene) was also impossible to use since traditional mats are fragile and and could not possible be used to lower someone down from the roof. Finally the term odooro for “stretcher” was used.
Still the first version that used that term and said “roll up your stretcher and leave” still had to be changed one more time since stretchers are traditionally made of old rags and only used once. Therefore in the final text it had to be emphasized that the odooro had to be just cleared out of the house as a courtesy by the healed paralytic rather than to be kept for further use.
The Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012) uses Bahr, also “stretcher.” (Source: Zetzsche)
The Greek that is translated as “paralytic” in English is translated by the Panjabi translation in Persian script with the common expression “one struck by paralysis.” (Source: Yousaf Sadiq in The Bible Translator 2021, p. 189ff.)
“Successful Thai gatherings are always crowded. Four people carrying a wooden bed is a symbol of death to Thai people. Here Jesus symbolizes resurrection by raising the man from the sick bed back to health in body and soul.”
Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)
Unos días después en el mismo pueblo de Capernaúm Jesús otra vez fue a una casa.
La gente lo vio y dijo: “Jesús está en la casa allá, vengan”, y la todos fueron a la casa y entraron y estaba llena de gente, y afuera de la puerta todas las personas estaban intentando a ver a Jesús que estaba predicando.
Afuera había un hombre que no podía caminar, su cuerpo era paralizado y estaba acostado. 4 Personas fueron a ayudarlo y llevaron su camilla, pero vieron que estaba lleno de gente y no podían entrar, ¿cómo?
Vieron: “la azotea, bien, vengan”, y los 4 subieron cargando la camilla, y arriba pusieron la camilla en el piso y empezaron a quitar la techumbre.
Jesús estaba predicando y miró hacia arriba y vio que estaban quitando la techumbre.
Los hombres estaban quitando la techumbre, y cuando estaba todo bien, levantaron la camilla y la bajaron con cuerda, y la camilla con el hombre estaba bajando.
Jesús miró hacia arriba y pensó: huy, ellos tienen fe, y cuando la camilla había bajado dijo: “tus pecados son perdonados.”
Los maestros de la ley que estaban sentados lo vieron y pensaron: absurdo, Jesús habla mal, él es irrespetuoso contra Dios, ¿cómo puede ser?
Sólo Dios puede perdonar a las personas, y puede borrar pecados, ¿qué piensa él?
Pero Jesús lo sintió adentro y lo sabía y volvió a verlos diciendo: “Maestros de la ley, ¿porqué piensan e imaginanse que yo hizo algo mal?
Alto, yo les pregunto ¿cúal sería más fácil, decirle: ‘tus pecados ya son perdonados’ o decirle: ‘levantate, arregla tu camilla, guardala y vete’? ¿Cuál piensan uds?
Oigan, aqui en el mundo hay uno, el hijo del hombre, que tiene autoridad y que puede perdonar los pecados a la gente.
Uds me ven y son testigos (y dijo al hombre): levantate, arregla tu camilla y guardalo y vete a tu casa.”
El hombre acostado notó que todo su cuerpo se había sanado y se paró, arregló su camilla, lo guardó y se fue caminando.
Todas las personas lo vieron (y dijeron): “Esto jamás habíamos visto, hoy lo vemos por primera vez, huy, ¡qué maravilloso es Dios!”
Some days later in the same village of Capernaum Jesus went to a house again.
The people saw him and said: “There is Jesus, over there in the house, come” and the multitude went to the house and entered it and it was full of people, and outside the door all those people were trying to see as Jesus preached.
Outside there was a man who could not walk, his body was paralyzed and he was lying down. Four persons came to help him, they carried his stretcher over, but then they saw that it was full of people and they could not go in, how?
They saw: “Oh good, the roof, come” and the four of them went up carrying the stretcher and upstairs they put down the stretcher and started to take away the roofing.
Jesus was preaching and he looked up and saw them take away the roofing.
The men were taking out the roofing and when all was ready they took the stretcher and lowered it with a rope and the stretcher with the man went down.
Jesus looked up and thought: wow, they have faith, and when the stretcher had been lowered he said: “Your sins have been forgiven.”
The teachers of the law that were sitting there saw this and they thought: this is ridiculous, Jesus speaks badly, without respect, against God, how can he do that?
Only God can forgive people their sins, what is he thinking?
But Jesus felt this and knew it, and he turned to them and said: “Teachers of the law, why do you think and imagine that I did something bad?
“Now stop, let me ask you which you think is easier, to tell him: ‘your sins have already been forgiven’ or to tell him: get up, arrange your stretcher, put it under your am and go’? Which one do you think?
“Listen, here in the world there is one person, the son of man, who has authority and can forgive people their sins.
“You see me and are witnesses (and he said to the man): get up, arrange your stretcher, put it under your arm and go home.”
The man who was lying down felt that his whole body had healed and he got up, arranged his stretcher, took it under his arm and walked out.
All the people saw it (and said): “Who have never seen this before, today is the first time we have seen it, wow, God is wonderful!”
A few days passed. There was a house in the town of Capernaum. Jesus came there. A rumor went around among the people that Jesus was there. Many, many people began to come to the house. The house was full, it was very crowded, there was no room, even outside. Everyone wanted to hear Jesus. And Jesus preached to them.
There was one man there, a sick man. He was paralyzed, his body was not moving. He was lying down and four men were carrying him on a stretcher. They wanted to help him, to bring him to Jesus so that Jesus could heal him. And so they carried the sick man. There was a crowd of people around. Those men tried to push the crowd apart, but it was very crowded. There was no way through. They began to think what to do. They saw that the roof of the house was flat, and there was a ladder attached to the house, which led directly to the roof. And they decided: let’s climb up! All four of them climbed up to the roof. They took a thick stick and began to break a hole in the roof. The roof was flat, made of clay and reeds. And so they made a hole in the roof and pulled apart the clay and reeds. It was a big round hole. They looked down and there was Jesus preaching. They got excited. Jesus looked up at them from below and smiled.
— “I know you have faith in me!
And the four men used ropes to pull the stretcher with the sick man up onto the roof, and then carefully lowered him down into the hole below. Jesus watched the stretcher being lowered, and when it came down in front of him, he said:
— My son, your sins are forgiven!
And in the midst of the crowd sat several teachers of the law. They shuddered with indignation, and began to talk and point at Jesus:
— How dare Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven”! God alone can forgive sins! And Jesus says such things! He is insulting God.
They were very indignant.
Jesus realized what they were thinking and said:
— Enough! Why are you slandering me? I am asking you a question. There are two things: which one is easier?
First I say to him, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The second thing: Here is a paralyzed man lying down. I say to him, “Get up, roll up your mat, and go home!”
Which of these two things is easier? The first thing is easier. It’s easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven.”
And so you see I’m here on earth right now. I have the power to forgive the sins of people who sin and do evil deeds. So here I am saying to this paralyzed man, “Get up, roll up your mat and get on your feet.”
The crowd around was amazed. Look, look — everyone said — we know this man could not walk, but he stood up. We have never seen such a miracle before! Everyone was amazed and glorified God.
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Прошло несколько дней. В городе Капернаум был один дом. Туда пришел Иисус. Между людьми повсюду пошел слух, что там Иисус. И многие-многие люди стали приходить в этот дом. Дом переполнился, было очень тесно, места не было даже снаружи. Все хотели послушать Иисуса. И Иисус им проповедовал.
Там был один человек, больной. Он был парализован, его тело не двигалось. Он лежал, а четыре человека несли его на носилках. Они хотели помочь ему, поднести его к Иисусу, чтобы Иисус исцелил его. И вот они несут больного. Кругом толпа народа. Те люди пытались раздвинуть толпу, но было очень тесно. Нет пути. Они стали думать, что делать. Видят они: у дома крыша плоская, а к дому приставлена лестница, которая ведет прямо на крышу. И решили: давайте заберемся! Все вчетвером забрались на крышу. Взяли толстую палку и стали пробивать дыру в крыше. Крыша была плоская, была она сделана из глины и тростника. И вот они делают дыру в крыше, раздвигают глину и тростник. Получилась большая круглая дыра. Смотрят вниз, а там Иисус проповедует. Они обрадовались. Иисус снизу на них посмотрел, улыбнулся.
Иисус говорит:
— Я знаю, у вас есть вера в Меня!
А эти четыре человека на веревках подтянули носилки с больным на крышу, а потом аккуратно опустили в дыру вниз. Иисус смотрел, как носилки опускаются, и когда они перед ним опустились, он сказал:
— Сын мой! Твои грехи тебе прощаются!
А среди толпы сидели несколько учителей закона. Они даже вздрогнули от возмущения и стали недовольно переговариваться, показывая на Иисуса:
— Да как же Иисус смеет говорить «твои грехи прощены»! Только один Бог может прощать грехи! А Иисус такое говорит! Он оскорбляет Бога.
Они были очень возмущены.
Иисус понял, о чем они думают, и сказал:
— Довольно! Зачем на меня клевещете? Я вам задаю вопрос. Есть две вещи: какая из них проще?
Первая вещь. Я ему говорю: «Твои грехи прощены».
Вторая вещь. Вот парализованный человек лежит. Я ему говорю: «Вставай, сверни свой коврик и ступай домой!»
Что из этих двух вещей проще? Первая вещь проще. Проще сказать: «Твои грехи прощены».
И вот вы видите, что я сейчас здесь, на земле. Я имею власть прощать грехи людей, которые грешат и совершают злые дела. Вот я говорю этому парализованному человеку: «Вставай, скатай свой коврик и ступай».
И о чудо! Этот человек поднялся, тело его сделалось здоровым. С восторгом он смотрит на свои руки и ноги. Он скатал свой коврик, взял его под мышку и радостный пошел.
Толпа вокруг была изумлена. Смотрите, смотрите — говорили все — мы знаем, этот человек не мог ходить, а он встал. Мы такого чуда никогда раньше не видели! Все изумлялись и прославляли Бога.
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 2:4:
Uma: “There was no way for them to get close to Yesus because it was full of people. That is why they climbed the stairs going to the top of the house, they lifted/pried-off the roof above Yesus, and they lowered their friend with his mat going into the house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because they could not come close to Isa because (there were) so many people, so-then they broke down the flat roof above the head of Isa. When they had made a way, they lowered the sick person on his stretcher.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They can’t get near to Jesus because of the many people who are gathered there, so then they made a hole in the roof above Jesus, and when the hole was already big they lowered the man on his hammock down to Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But they had no way to bring-him-near to Jesus because of the crowded-in people, so they climbed-up-with-him to the roof and they removed some of the roof directly-above Jesus. Then they lowered the stretcher on-which-the cripple -was-lying.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Those people weren’t able to get that person close to Jesus for (the house) was full of people. Without anything further, what they did was, they made-an-hole in the roof above Jesus. And then they let down that person they had carried, still on what-he-was-lying-on.)” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Amele: “While the people sat crushed together because they had no way to take and put him before (lit. in his eye) Jisas they climbed up above the house. They climbed up and removed the house roofing at Jisas stood and they tied a rope to that stretcher the man lay on and as they let him down he went down to before Jisas stood.” (Source: John Roberts in this article )
Kim text for oral translation: “As they could not find the way to bring him to him, they saw the flat roof there where it was, they went up there, they made a hole, they lowered the bed that the paralytic was lying on (with the help of ropes) gently, gently until putting it on the ground.” (Source: Bayamy Tchande Awakde in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 23ff.)
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “When they couldn’t bring him through, because of the crowd, they pulled away the roof above the spot where he was. And after they’ve dug up the tiles, they lower the pallet down — where this paralyzed man was lying.”
Following is a 1973 painting of the JESUS MAFA project, a response to New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings was selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings:
From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. Image retrieved March 23, 2026. Original source: librairie-emmanuel.fr.
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