MARK 2:7 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “Why’s he talking like that? He’s seriously insulting God. There’s only one who can forgive sins, and that’s God himself.”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT “Why does this one speak in this way? He blasphemes! Who is able to forgive sins except one, God?”

UST “This man should not be saying that he forgives sins. The only one who can forgive sins is God. So, he is insulting God!”

BSB “Why {does} this [man] speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

MSB “Why {does} this [man] speak such blasphemies?[fn] Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

2:7 CT Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming!

BLB "Why does this man speak thus? He blasphemes! Who is able to forgive sins, except God alone?"

AICNT “Why does this man speak {like this? He blasphemes!}[fn] Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

2:7, like this? He blasphemes!: Some manuscripts read “speak blasphemies like this?.”

OEB ‘Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?’

WEBBE “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

LSV “Why does this One thus speak evil words? Who is able to forgive sins except one—God?”

FBV “Why is he talking like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins? Only God can do that!”

TCNT “Why does this man [fn]speak such blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

2:7 speak such blasphemies? ¦ speak like that? He is blaspheming. CT

T4T “◄Who does this man think he is, talking like that/This man shouldn’t talk like that!► [RHQ]? ◄He is insulting God!/Does he think he is God?► [RHQ] ◄No person can forgive sins!/Who can forgive sins?► [RHQ] Only God can forgive sins!”

LEB “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?”

BBE Why does this man say such things? he has no respect for God: from whom does forgiveness come but from God only?

Moff "What does the man mean by talking like this? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins, who but God alone?"

Wymth "Why does this man use such words?" they said; "he is blaspheming. Who can pardon sins but One—that is, God?"

ASV Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even God?

DRA Why doth this man speak thus? he blasphemeth. Who can forgive sins, but God only?

YLT 'Why doth this one thus speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins except one — God?'

Drby Why does this [man] thus speak? he blasphemes. Who is able to forgive sins except [fn]God alone?

2.7 Elohim

RV Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even God?
(Why doth/does this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even God? )

SLT Why does this thus speak blasphemies? who can remit sins but the one God.

Wbstr Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

KJB-1769 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
(Why doth/does this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? )

KJB-1611 Why doeth this man thus speake blasphemies? Who can forgiue sinnes but God onely?
(Why doth/does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God onely?)

Bshps Why doeth he thus speake blasphemies? Who can forgeue sinnes, but God only?
(Why doth/does he thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only?)

Gnva Why doeth this man speake such blasphemies? who can forgiue sinnes, but God onely?
(Why doth/does this man speak such blasphemies? who can forgive sins, but God onely? )

Cvdl How speaketh this man soch blasphemy? Who can forgeue synnes, but onely God?
(How speaketh/speaks this man such blasphemy? Who can forgive sins, but only God?)

TNT how doeth this felowe so blaspheme? Who can forgeve synnes but God only?
(how doth/does this fellow so blaspheme? Who can forgive sins but God only? )

Wycl What spekith he thus? He blasfemeth; who may foryyue synnes, but God aloone?
(What speaketh/speaks he thus? He blasfemeth; who may forgive sins, but God alone?)

Luth Wie redet dieser solche Gotteslästerung? Wer kann Sünde vergeben denn allein GOtt?
(How talks this such God’slästerung? Who can sin(n) forgive because/than alone God?)

ClVg Quid hic sic loquitur? blasphemat. Quis potest dimittere peccata, nisi solus Deus?[fn]
(What this/here so speaks? blasphemat. Who can to_release sins, except alone God? )

2.7 Quis potest dimittere. ID. Verum dicunt: Solus Deus hoc potest, solus etiam per eos dimittit quibus potestatem dimittendi peccata tribuit, ideo vere Deus. Verum testantur, sed personam Christi negando falluntur. Errant igitur, quia ut Deum esse, et peccata dimittere credunt, Christum tamen esse eum non credunt. Sed dementius Ariani, qui et Christum esse et peccata dimittere negare non audent: Deum esse negare non timent.

2.7 Who can to_release. ID. Verum they_say: Solus God this can, alone also through them dismisses to_whom power let_gondi sins gives, therefore/for_that_reason really/truly God. Verum testantur, but person of_Christ negando falluntur. Errant therefore, because as God to_be, and sins to_release they_believe, Christ/Messiah nevertheless to_be him not/no they_believe. But dementius Ariani, who/which and Christ/Messiah to_be and sins to_release negare not/no audent: God to_be negare not/no they_are_afraid.

UGNT τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ? βλασφημεῖ! τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας, εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός?
(ti houtos houtōs lalei? blasfaʸmei! tis dunatai afienai hamartias, ei maʸ heis ho Theos?)

SBL-GNT Τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ; ⸀βλασφημεῖ· τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός;
(Ti houtos houtōs lalei; ⸀blasfaʸmei; tis dunatai afienai hamartias ei maʸ heis ho theos;)

RP-GNT Τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ βλασφημίας; Τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἰ μὴ εἷς, ὁ θεός;
(Ti houtos houtōs lalei blasfaʸmias; Tis dunatai afienai hamartias ei maʸ heis, ho theos;)

TC-GNT Τί οὗτος οὕτω λαλεῖ [fn]βλασφημίας; Τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἰ μὴ εἷς, ὁ Θεός;
(Ti houtos houtō lalei blasfaʸmias; Tis dunatai afienai hamartias ei maʸ heis, ho Theos; )

2:7 βλασφημιας ¦ βλασφημει CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–12: Jesus healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins

In this section, some people brought a paralyzed man to Jesus. They hoped that Jesus would heal him. First, Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven. Then Jesus proved that God had given him authority to both heal and forgive sins by healing the paralyzed man.

When Jesus said, “your sins,” he was referring to the sins that the man had done in his life. He was not implying that the man had offended him personally. The Jews thought that only God could forgive all of the sins that a person had done. They were offended that Jesus also claimed to have that authority.

You should translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus showed that he has authority to forgive people’s sins

Jesus healed a paralyzed man

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 9:1–8 and Luke 5:17–26.

Paragraph 2:6–12

In this section the teachers of the law reacted to Jesus’ statement that the sins of the paralytic were forgiven. They thought that Jesus was an ordinary person who could not be the Messiah.

2:7a–c

Each part of this verse expresses something that the religious leaders were thinking.

2:7a

“Why does this man speak like this?

“How could he say that this paralyzed man’s sins are forgiven?
“Why should this man think that he can forgive sins?
“This man should not say that!

Why does this man speak like this?: This is a rhetorical question that the teachers of the law were asking in their minds. It expresses their disapproval of what Jesus had said. There are two ways to express this rhetorical question:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Why would he say such a thing? (CEV)
How does he dare talk like this? (GNT)
As a statement. For example:
This man/fellow should not say that!

Use a natural form in your language to express surprise and disapproval. Translate in a way that would not imply that the question was spoken out loud.

this man: The Greek word that the BSB translates as this man indicates that the teachers of the law felt disrespect or even contempt for Jesus.

speak like this: The words speak like this refer to Jesus’ words to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven.”

2:7b

He is blaspheming!

He is dishonoring God!
He is doing a terrible thing by acting as if he is God.
It is blasphemy! (RSV)

blaspheming: The Greek word the BSB translates as blaspheming often means “speaking against God” or “dishonoring God in a serious way.” In this context it refers to claiming to do something that only God had the authority to do. So the NCV says:

speaking as if he were God (NCV)

2:7c

Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Who except God can forgive sins?”
Only God has the authority/power to forgive sins.”
God can forgive sins but a person cannot.”

Who can forgive sins but God alone?: This is a rhetorical question. The teachers of the law believed that God is the only one who has authority to forgive sins. They used the rhetorical question to express this belief in a very emphatic way. There are two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

As a question. For example:
Doesn’t he know that only God can forgive sins?
As an emphatic statement:
No one except God can forgive sins!
Only God can forgive sins. (NCV)
Jesus is just a man. He cannot forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize a belief. Do not imply that the teachers of the law were speaking aloud.

forgive: In this context the word forgive refers to canceling sins so that a person will not be punished for them. It is another form of the same word that was used in 2:5c. You should translate in a similar way here.

sins: See the note on 2:5c.

God: The Greek word that the BSB translates as God refers here to the eternal spirit who created everything. He is more powerful than any other spirit, and he is perfectly good and wise. He deserves to be worshipped. Here are some ways to translate God:

Use a name or title for God that people in your culture already use.
Use a descriptive term that fits the truth about God that is revealed in the Bible. For example:
Creator
Great Spirit
Ruler of the universe

See how you translated God in 1:1. For more detailed information, see God in the Glossary.

General Comment on 2:7a–c

In some languages it may be more natural to express the parts of this verse in a different order. For example:

^7aIt is blasphemy for a person ^7bto say that a man’s sins are forgiven! ^7cNo one can forgive a person’s sins except God.

^7cNo one can forgive a person’s sins except God. ^7bThis person is blaspheming ^7aby saying that the paralytic’s sins are forgiven.

^7cGod can forgive sins, but a person cannot. ^7aWhen this man says he forgives the paralytic man’s sins, ^7bhe is blaspheming against God.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ Βλασφημεῖ Τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἰ μή εἱς ὁ Θεός)

The scribes are using the question form to show that they disapprove of how Jesus was speaking. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [It is not right for this one to speak in this way.] or [This one should not be speaking in this way!]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας, εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ Βλασφημεῖ Τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἰ μή εἱς ὁ Θεός)

If, in your language, it would appear that the scribes were making a statement here and then contradicting it, you could reword this to avoid using an exception clause. Alternate translation: [Only one, God, is able to forgive sins, right?] or [Who is able to forgive sins? It is only God, right?]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας, εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ Βλασφημεῖ Τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἰ μή εἱς ὁ Θεός)

The scribes are using the question form to indicate that they are confident that only God can forgive sins. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [No one is able to forgive sins except one, God.] or [No one can ever forgive sins except one, God!]

Parallel MARK 2:7

Section 2:1–12: Jesus healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins

Paragraph 2:6–12

2:7a–c

2:7a

2:7b

2:7c

General Comment on 2:7a–c