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Today's Verse Analysis

Matthew 9:5 For what is easier, to say,

Answering the Pharisees for implied criticism in telling someone their mistakes are letting go of them.

Spoken to
The Pharisees

Matthew 9:5  τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν Ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖνἜγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;

KJV Verse

Matthew 9:5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

NIV Verse:

Matthew 9:5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

What His Listeners Heard:

Because, what is less tiring? To say, "Those mistakes are letting go of you!" or to say "Arise and walk around."

Lost In Translation:

This verse seems to be a light-hearted answer to a question. The word "because" is left out of more recent translations because it seems out of place without a preceding question. The "easier" word is actually a humorous idea. It has the sense of "less tiring" a better. Jesus complains with tongue in cheek, that healing people is more tiring that simply curing their past mistakes. 

KJV w/Translation Issues :

For whether(WW) is easier, to say, Thy(WW) sins(WW) be forgiven(WW) thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

KJV List (See full page for word-by-word analysis):
For analysis of each word of original Greek and biblical verses, click here.

Constantly Updated

My analysis standards and methods are constantly improving. New information on each verse is provided as articles are updated. It requires approximately two years for me to work through updating each of Jesus's verses.

What Jesus's Listeners Heard

The everyday meanings of the Greek words Jesus used were different than the definitions they have been given over time in biblical translation. The word translations here are based upon documents of his time such as the Greek Septuagint, not ideas unknown in his time.

About this Site

See what Jesus said in Greek and see how his words are changed in English translation. My goal is to translate Jesus's words as they were heard when he taught, not the way they are interpreted today. The work here resurrects the humor and cleverness of Jesus's words lost in translation.

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Each article provides detailed information on all the Greek words in each verse with links simplifying your own research. It compares the Greek to popular translations to show where words are confused, changed, left out, and added. This site offers research available nowhere else, such as how often Jesus uses a specific Greek word and links to a list of every verse in which he uses a given word.