What? get so near to Jesus, and not be healed after all!
Then the four friends thought of another plan.
They would get the invalid up the outside staircase that there often is in Eastern houses, and would get on to the roof!
So they carried the poor sick man carefully up the staircase, and when they had uncovered a place in the roof, they let down his bed right through the ceiling to the feet of Jesus.
Ah! what do you think the dear Lord said then?
When He saw their faith—the faith of those men who had brought the sick man to Jesus—He said to the poor trembling invalid, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee!"
And then when the people wondered very much at Jesus being able to forgive sins, He showed them His great power, by making the sick man quite well the very next moment.
He asked the people which was the easiest for God to do, to forgive sins, or to make people well in an instant?
Then He said to the man, sick of the palsy, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house."
Jesus made him so well that though he had to be carried there on a bed, he received strength to obey, and walked back to his home, carrying his bed in his arms!