The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

When(A) He entered Capernaum(B) again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message(C) to them. Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic,(D) carried by four men. Since they were not able to bring him to[a] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

Seeing their faith,(E) Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins(F) are forgiven.”(G)

But some of the scribes(H) were sitting there, thinking(I) to themselves:[b] “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming!(J) Who can forgive(K) sins(L) but God alone?”(M)

Right away(N) Jesus understood in His spirit(O) that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?[c] Which is easier:(P) to say to the paralytic,(Q) ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?(R) 10 But so you may know that the Son of Man(S) has authority(T) on earth to forgive sins,”(U) He told the paralytic, 11 “I tell you: get up,(V) pick up your mat, and go home.”

12 Immediately he got up, picked up the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded(W) and gave glory(X) to God,(Y) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”(Z)

The Call of Matthew

13 Then(AA) Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to Him, and He taught(AB) them. 14 Then, moving on, He saw Levi(AC) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,(AD) and He said to him, “Follow Me!”(AE) So he got up and followed(AF) Him.

Dining with Sinners

15 While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors(AG) and sinners(AH) were also guests[d](AI) with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. 16 When the scribes(AJ) of the Pharisees[e](AK) saw that He was eating(AL) with sinners(AM) and tax collectors,(AN) they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat[f] with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need(AO) a doctor,(AP) but the sick(AQ) do need one. I didn’t come to call the righteous,(AR) but sinners.”(AS)

A Question about Fasting

18 Now(AT) John’s(AU) disciples(AV) and the Pharisees[g](AW) were fasting.(AX) People came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests[h] cannot fast while the groom(AY) is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the time[i] will come(AZ) when the groom is taken away from them,(BA) and then they will fast(BB) in that day. 21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth,(BC) and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine(BD) into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst(BE) the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins.[j] But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Lord of the Sabbath

23 On(BF) the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples(BG) began to make their way picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees(BH) said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful(BI) on the Sabbath?”

25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David(BJ) and those who were with him did when he was in need(BK) and hungry(BL) 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar(BM) the high priest(BN) and ate the sacred bread(BO)—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests(BP)—and also gave some to his companions?” 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for[k] man and not man for[l] the Sabbath.(BQ) 28 Therefore, the Son of Man(BR) is Lord(BS) even of the Sabbath.”(BT)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 2:4 Other mss read able to get near
  2. Mark 2:6 Or thinking in their hearts
  3. Mark 2:8 Or minds
  4. Mark 2:15 Lit reclining (at the table); at important meals the custom was to recline on a mat at a low table and lean on the left elbow.
  5. Mark 2:16 Other mss read scribes and Pharisees
  6. Mark 2:16 Other mss add and drink
  7. Mark 2:18 Other mss read the disciples of John and of the Pharisees
  8. Mark 2:19 Lit The sons of the bridal chamber
  9. Mark 2:20 Lit the days
  10. Mark 2:22 Other mss read the wine spills out and the skins will be ruined
  11. Mark 2:27 Or because of
  12. Mark 2:27 Or because of

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man(A)

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers(B) that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man,(C) carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”(D)

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”(E)

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man(F) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God,(G) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”(H)

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners(I)

13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him,(J) and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”(K) Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees(L) saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(M)

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(N)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting(O)

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.(P) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,(Q) and on that day they will fast.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(R)(S)

23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.(T) 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(U)

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest,(V) he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.(W) And he also gave some to his companions.”(X)

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man,(Y) not man for the Sabbath.(Z) 28 So the Son of Man(AA) is Lord even of the Sabbath.”