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And again he entered into Capharnaum after some days.

And it was heard that he was in the house, and many came together, so that there was no room; no, not even at the door; and he spoke to them the word.

And they came to him, bringing one sick of the palsy, who was carried by four.

And when they could not offer him unto him for the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was; and opening it, they let down the bed wherein the man sick of the palsy lay.

And when Jesus had seen their faith, he saith to the sick of the palsy: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.

And there were some of the scribes sitting there, and thinking in their hearts:

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

Which Jesus presently knowing in his spirit, that they so thought within themselves, saith to them: Why think you these things in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy: Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say to thee: Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.

12 And immediately he arose; and taking up his bed, went his way in the sight of all; so that all wondered and glorified God, saying: We never saw the like.

13 And he went forth again to the sea side; and all the multitude came to him, and he taught them.

14 And when he was passing by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom; and he saith to him: Follow me. And rising up, he followed him.

15 And it came to pass, that as he sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat down together with Jesus and his disciples. For they were many, who also followed him.

16 And the scribes and the Pharisees, seeing that he ate with publicans and sinners, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

17 Jesus hearing this, saith to them: They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. For I came not to call the just, but sinners.

18 And the disciples of John and the Pharisees used to fast; and they come and say to him: Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but thy disciples do not fast?

19 And Jesus saith to them: Can the children of the marriage fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then they shall fast in those days.

21 No man seweth a piece of raw cloth to an old garment: otherwise the new piecing taketh away from the old, and there is made a greater rent.

22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: otherwise the wine will burst the bottles, and both the wine will be spilled, and the bottles will be lost. But new wine must be put into new bottles.

23 And it came to pass again, as the Lord walked through the corn fields on the sabbath, that his disciples began to go forward, and to pluck the ears of corn.

24 And the Pharisees said to him: Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

25 And he said to them: Have you never read what David did when he had need, and was hungry himself, and they that were with him?

26 How he went into the house of God, under Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which was not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave to them who were with him?

27 And he said to them: The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath also.

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