Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, please strengthen my faith and use me to bring those who are broken, lost, and hurting to experience the gracious and powerful gift of your Son's love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

A few days later, Jesus came back to Capernaum. The news spread that Jesus was back home. Many, many people gathered to hear Jesus speak. The house was full. There was no place to stand, not even outside the door. Jesus was teaching these people. Some people brought a paralyzed (crippled) man to Jesus. Four men were carrying the paralyzed man. But they could not bring the man to Jesus because the house was full of people. So the men went to the roof above Jesus and made a hole in the roof. Then they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it. Jesus saw that these men had much faith. So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven." Some of the teachers of the law were sitting there. They saw what Jesus did, and they said to themselves, "Why does this man say things like that? He is saying things that are against God. Only God can forgive sins." Jesus knew that these teachers of the law were thinking those things about him. So Jesus said to them, "Why do you have these questions in your minds? The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say to the crippled man, 'Your sins are forgiven.' {No one could see if it really happened.} But what if I say to the man, 'Stand up. Take your bed and walk'? Then you will be able to see if I really have this power or not." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, stand up. Take your mat and go home." The paralyzed man stood up. He took his mat and walked out of the room. All the people could see him. The people were amazed and praised God. They said, "This is the most amazing thing we have ever seen!"

Related Scripture Readings

So the followers brought the boy to Jesus. When the {evil} spirit saw Jesus, the spirit attacked the boy. The boy fell down and rolled on the ground. He was foaming from his mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to the boy?" The father answered, "Since he was very young. The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to kill him. If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us." Jesus said to the father, "You said, 'Help him if you can.' All things are possible for the person that believes." The father became very excited. He said, "I do believe. Help me to believe more!"

Jesus went to the city of Capernaum. When Jesus entered the city, an army officer came to him and begged for help. The officer said, "Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can't move his body and has much pain." Jesus said to the officer, "I will go and heal him." The officer answered, "Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. All you need to do is command that my servant be healed, and he will be healed. I myself am a man under the authority (power) of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and my servant obeys me. {I know that you also have power like this.}" When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Jesus said to those people that were with him, "I tell you the truth. This man has more faith than any person I have found, even in Israel.

Jesus was still there speaking. Some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. The men said, "Your daughter is dead. There is now no need to bother the teacher (Jesus)." But Jesus did not care what the men said. Jesus said to the synagogue leader, "Don't be afraid; only believe." Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. Jesus and these followers went to the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. Jesus saw many people there crying loudly. There was much confusion. Jesus entered the house and said to the people, "Why are you people crying and making so much noise? This child is not dead. She is only sleeping." But all the people laughed at Jesus. Jesus told the people to leave the house. Then Jesus went into the room where the child was. He brought the child's father and mother and his three followers into the room with him. Then Jesus held the girl's hand and said to her, "Talitha, koum!" (This means, "Little girl, I tell you to stand up!") The girl stood up and began walking. (The girl was twelve years old.) The father and mother and the followers were amazed.