Mark 2
New Living Translation
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
2 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man[a] has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees[b] saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?[c]”
17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
A Discussion about Fasting
18 Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?”
19 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
21 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”
A Discussion about the Sabbath
23 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 24 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”
25 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 26 He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.”
27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”
Mark 2
Christian Standard Bible
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 Right 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 sick.(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 grainfields, and his disciples(BF) began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. 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)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.