Mark 2:18-3:6

Christian Standard Bible

A Question about Fasting

¹⁸ Now^(A) John’s^(B) disciples^(C) and the Pharisees^[a](D) were fasting.^(E) 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^(F) is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the time^[b] will come^(G) when the groom will be taken away from them,^(H) and then they will fast^(I) 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,^(J) and a worse tear is made. ²² And no one puts new wine^(K) into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst^(L) 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^(M) the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples^(N) began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(O) said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(P) on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Have you never read what David^(Q) and those who were with him did when he was in need^(R) and hungry^(S) — ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar^(T) the high priest^(U) and ate the bread of the Presence^(V) —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests^(W) —and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for^[c] man and not man for the Sabbath.^{(X) 28} So then, the Son of Man^(Y) is Lord^(Z) even of the Sabbath.”^(AA)

3 Jesus^(AB) entered the synagogue^(AC) again, and a man was there who had a shriveled^(AD) hand. ² In order to accuse^(AE) him, they were watching him closely^(AF) to see whether he would heal^(AG) him on the Sabbath.^{(AH) 3} He told the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand before us.” ⁴ Then he said to them, “Is it lawful^(AI) to do good^(AJ) on the Sabbath or to do evil,^(AK) to save life^(AL) or to kill?”^(AM) But they were silent.^{(AN) 5} After looking around at them with anger,^(AO) he was grieved at the hardness^(AP) of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.^{(AQ) 6} Immediately the Pharisees^(AR) went out and started plotting^(AS) with the Herodians^(AT) against him, how they might kill^(AU) him.