The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

2 When^(A) he entered Capernaum^(B) again after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word^(C) to them. ³ They came to him bringing a paralytic,^(D) carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they were not able to bring him to^[a] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ Seeing their faith,^(E) Jesus told the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins^(F) are forgiven.’^(G)

⁶ But some of the scribes^(H) were sitting there, questioning^(I) in their hearts: ⁷ ‘Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming!^(J) Who can forgive^(K) sins^(L) but God alone? ’^(M)

⁸ Straight away^(N) Jesus perceived 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? ⁹ Which is easier:^(P) to say to the paralytic,^(Q) “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat, and walk”?^{(R) 10} But so that 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) take your mat, and go home.’

¹² Immediately he got up, took 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 Levi

¹³ Jesus^(AA) went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching^(AB) them. ¹⁴ Then, passing by, he saw Levi^(AC) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,^(AD) and he said to him, ‘Follow me,’^(AE) and he got up and followed^(AF) him.

¹⁵ While he was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors^(AG) and sinners^(AH) were eating^[b] with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him. ¹⁶ When the scribes^(AI) who were Pharisees^[c](AJ) saw that he was eating^(AK) with sinners^(AL) and tax collectors,^(AM) they asked his disciples, ‘Why does he eat^[d] with tax collectors and sinners? ’

¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, he told them, ‘It is not those who are well who need^(AN) a doctor,^(AO) but those who are ill.^(AP) I didn’t come to call the righteous,^(AQ) but sinners.’^(AR)

A Question about Fasting

¹⁸ Now^(AS) John’s^(AT) disciples^(AU) and the Pharisees^[e](AV) were fasting.^(AW) 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 cannot fast while the groom^(AX) is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the time^[f] will come^(AY) when the groom will be taken away from them,^(AZ) and then they will fast^(BA) on 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,^(BB) and a worse tear is made. ²² And no one puts new wine^(BC) into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst^(BD) the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. No, new wine is put into fresh wineskins.’

Lord of the Sabbath

²³ On^(BE) the Sabbath he was going through the cornfields, and his disciples^(BF) began to make their way, picking some ears of corn. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(BG) said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(BH) on the Sabbath? ’

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