1A few days later, Jesus entered Capernaum again. The people heard that he had come home.2So many people gathered that there was no room left. There was not even room outside the door. And Jesus preached the word to them.3Four of those who came were carrying a man who could not walk.4But they could not get him close to Jesus because of the crowd. So they made a hole by digging through the roof above Jesus. Then they lowered the man through it on a mat.5Jesus saw their faith. So he said to the man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’6Some teachers of the law were sitting there. They were thinking,7‘Why is this fellow talking like that? He’s saying a very evil thing! Only God can forgive sins!’8Right away Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking these things?9Is it easier to say to this man, “Your sins are forgiven”? Or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”?10But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So Jesus spoke to the man who could not walk.11‘I tell you,’ he said, ‘get up. Take your mat and go home.’12The man got up and took his mat. Then he walked away while everyone watched. All the people were amazed. They praised God and said, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’
Jesus chooses Levi and eats with sinners
13Once again Jesus went out beside the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd came to him. He began to teach them.14As he walked along he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me’, Jesus told him. Levi got up and followed him.15Later Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples. They were part of the large crowd following Jesus.16Some teachers of the law who were Pharisees were there. They saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors. So they asked his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’17Jesus heard that. So he said to them, ‘Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Ill people do. I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.’
Jesus is asked about fasting
18John’s disciples and the Pharisees were going without eating. Some people came to Jesus. They said to him, ‘John’s disciples are fasting. The disciples of the Pharisees are also fasting. But your disciples are not. Why aren’t they?’19Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the groom go without eating while he is with them? They will not fast as long as he is with them.20But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. On that day they will go without eating.21‘No one sews a patch of new cloth on old clothes. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old. That will make the tear worse.22No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins. Then the wine and the wineskins will both be destroyed. No, people pour new wine into new wineskins.’
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath day
23One Sabbath day Jesus was walking with his disciples through the cornfields. The disciples began to break off some ears of corn.24The Pharisees said to Jesus, ‘Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath day. Why are your disciples doing it?’25He answered, ‘Haven’t you ever read about what David did? He and his men were hungry. They needed food.26It was when Abiathar was high priest. David entered the house of God and ate the holy bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it. David also gave some to his men.’27Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath day was made for man. Man was not made for the Sabbath day.28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.’
Mark 2
English Standard Version
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. (Mt 9:1)2And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. (Mt 9:2; Lu 5:18)4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. (Lu 5:19)5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mt 8:10; Mt 8:13; Mt 9:22; Mt 9:29; Mt 15:28; Mr 10:52; Lu 7:9; Lu 7:48; Lu 7:50; Lu 17:19; Lu 18:42; Joh 5:14; Ac 3:16; Ac 14:9; Jas 5:15)6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,7“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Ps 32:5; Isa 43:25; Mr 14:64; Joh 10:36)8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? (Joh 2:25)9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— (Mr 2:28)11“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”12And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Lu 7:16)
Jesus Calls Levi
13He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. (Mr 1:45)14And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. (Mt 9:9; Lu 5:27)15And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (Mt 11:19; Lu 15:2)16And the scribes of[1] the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat[2] with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mr 2:15; Ac 4:5; Ac 23:9)17And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Lu 15:7; Joh 9:39; 1Ti 1:15)
A Question About Fasting
18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” (Mt 11:2; Mt 14:12; Mr 7:5; Lu 11:1; Lu 18:12; Joh 1:35; Joh 3:25; Joh 4:1; Ac 18:25; Ac 19:3)19And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. (Joh 3:29)20The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. (Lu 17:22; Joh 16:20)21No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”[3] (Jos 9:4)
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
23One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. (De 23:25; Mt 12:1; Lu 6:1)24And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” (Ex 20:9; Mt 9:11)25And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: (1Sa 21:1; Mt 21:16)26how he entered the house of God, in the time of[4] Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” (Ex 25:30; Le 24:5; 1Sa 21:1; 2Sa 8:17; 1Ch 24:6)27And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Ex 23:12; De 5:14; Col 2:16)28So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mr 2:10)