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And again He entered into Capernaum some days later, and it was reported that He was in the house.

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not even about the door; and He preached the Word unto them.

And they came unto Him, bringing one sick with the palsy, who was borne by four.

And when they could not come nigh unto Him because of the throng, they uncovered the roof where He was. And when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the one sick with the palsy lay.

When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the one sick with the palsy, “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.”

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

“Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?”

And immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts:

whether it is easier to say to the sick with the palsy, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up thy bed and walk’?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins—” He said to the one sick with the palsy,

11 “I say unto thee, arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.”

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw it in this fashion!”

13 And He went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them.

14 And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the custom booth, and said unto him, “Follow Me.” And he arose and followed Him.

15 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat at Levi’s house, that many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, “How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?”

17 When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast; and they came and said unto Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?”

19 And Jesus said unto them, “Can the attendants of the bridechamber 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 away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

21 “No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment, else the new piece that filled it up teareth away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

22 And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins, else the new wine doth burst the skins, and the wine is spilled and the skins will be marred. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

23 And it came to pass that He went through the cornfields on the Sabbath day; and His disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

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

25 And He said unto them, “Have ye never read what David did when he was in need and hungered, he and they that were with him?

26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave it also to those who were with him?”

27 And He said unto them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

28 Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

And when he returned to (A)Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. (B)And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, (C)they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus (D)saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, (E)your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? (F)He is blaspheming! (G)Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, (H)perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that (I)the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and (J)glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Jesus Calls Levi

13 He went out again beside the sea, and (K)all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 (L)And as he passed by, he saw (M)Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many (N)tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And (O)the scribes of[a] the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, (P)“Why does he eat[b] with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (Q)I came not to call the righteous, (R)but sinners.”

A Question About Fasting

18 Now (S)John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, (T)“Why do John's disciples and (U)the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, (V)“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 (W)The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and (X)then they will fast in that day. 21 No 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. 22 And no one puts new wine into old (Y)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.”[c]

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 (Z)One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples (AA)began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, (AB)why are they doing (AC)what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, (AD)“Have you never read (AE)what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of[d] (AF)Abiathar the high priest, and ate (AG)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?” 27 And he said to them, (AH)“The Sabbath was made for man, (AI)not man for the Sabbath. 28 So (AJ)the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 2:16 Some manuscripts and
  2. Mark 2:16 Some manuscripts add and drink
  3. Mark 2:22 Some manuscripts omit But new wine is for fresh wineskins
  4. Mark 2:26 Or in the passage about