3 and 4 One sick of the palsy, having his sins forgiven him, is healed. 14 Matthew is called. 19 Fastings and afflictions are foretold. 23 The Disciples pluck the ears of corn. 26 The showbread.

After (A)[a]a few days, he entered into Capernaum again, and it was noised that he was in the [b]house.

And anon many gathered together, insomuch, that the [c]places about the door could not receive any more: and he preached the word unto them.

And there came unto him, that brought one sick of the palsy, borne of four men.

And because they could not come near unto him for the multitude, they uncovered the roof of the house where he was: and when they had broken it open, they [d]let down the [e]bed, wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Now when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.

And there were certain of the Scribes sitting there, and [f]reasoning in their hearts,

Why doth this man speak such blasphemies? (B)who can forgive sins, but God only?

And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit, that thus they reasoned with themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

Whether is it 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 ye may know, that the Son of man hath authority in earth to forgive sins, he said unto the sick of the palsy,

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and get thee hence into thine own house.

12 And by and by he arose, and took up his bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they were all [g]amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw such a thing.

13 [h]Then he went forth again toward the sea, and all the people resorted unto him, and he taught them.

14 (C)And as Jesus passed by, he saw [i]Levi the son of Alphaeus sit at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

15 ¶ And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at table in his house, many Publicans and sinners sat at table also with Jesus, and his disciples: for there were many that followed him.

16 And when the Scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with the Publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it, that he eateth and drinketh with Publicans and sinners?

17 Now when Jesus heard it, he said unto them, The whole have no need of the Physician, but the sick. (D)I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.

18 (E)[j]And the disciples of John, and the Pharisees did fast, and came and said unto him, Why do the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the marriage chamber fast, while 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 from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

21 Also no man soweth a piece of new cloth in an old garment: for else the new piece that filled it up, taketh away somewhat from the old, and the breach is worse.

22 Likewise, no man putteth new wine into old vessels: for else the new wine breaketh the vessels, and the wine runneth out, and the vessels are lost; but new wine must be put into new vessels.

23 (F)[k]And it came to pass as he went through the corn on the [l]Sabbath day, that his disciples, as they went on their way, began to pluck the ears of corn.

24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day, that which is not lawful?

25 And he said to them, Have ye never read what (G)David did when he had need, and was an hungered, both he, and they that were with him?

26 How he went into the house of God, in the days of [m]Abiathar the high Priest, and did eat the Showbread, which were not lawful to eat, but for the (H)Priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

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

28 Wherefore the Son of man is Lord, even of the [n]Sabbath.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 2:1 Christ showeth by healing this man, which was sick of the palsy, that men recover in him through faith only, all their strength which they have lost.
  2. Mark 2:1 In the house where he used to remain, for he chose Capernaum to dwell in, and left Nazareth.
  3. Mark 2:2 Neither the house nor the entry was able to hold them.
  4. Mark 2:4 They brake up the upper part of the house, which was plain, and let down the man that was sick of the palsy, into the lower part where Christ preached, for they could not otherwise come into his sight.
  5. Mark 2:4 The word signifieth the worst kind of bed, whereupon men used to lay down themselves at noontide, and such other times, to refresh themselves: we call it a couch.
  6. Mark 2:6 In their minds disputing upon that matter, on both sides.
  7. Mark 2:12 Word for word, past themselves, or out of their wits.
  8. Mark 2:13 The Gospel offendeth the proud, and saveth the humble.
  9. Mark 2:14 Matthew’s other name.
  10. Mark 2:18 The superstitious and hypocrites do rashly put the sum of godliness in things indifferent, and are here for three causes reprehended. First, for that not considering what every man’s strength is able to bear, they rashly make all manner of laws concerning such things, without all discretion.
  11. Mark 2:23 Secondarily, for that they make no difference between the laws which God made concerning the same things, and laws that are made of things which are utterly unlawful.
  12. Mark 2:23 Word for word, on the Sabbaths, that is, on the holy days.
  13. Mark 2:26 In 1 Sam. 21:1 he is called Ahimelech and his son Abiathar, but by conference of other places, it is plain, that both of them had two names. See also 1 Chron. 24:6; 2 Sam. 8:17; 2 Sam. 15:29; 1 Kings 2:26; 2 Kings 25:18.
  14. Mark 2:28 Hath the Sabbath day in his power, and may rule as him listeth.

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.”