The Son of Man Forgives and Heals
1 When 2:1–12 Mt 9:1–8; Lk 5:17–26 he entered Capernaum 2:1 Lk 10:15 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 2:2 Mk 4:14; Jn 18:32 to them. 3 They came to him bringing a paralytic, 2:3 Mt 4:24; 8:6; 9:2,6; Mk 2:3–10 carried by four of them. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to 2:4 Other mss read able to get near 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, 2:5 Mt 8:10; Ac 3:16; Rm 1:8; 1Co 2:5; Gl 2:16; 1Tm 1:2; Heb 4:2 Jesus told the paralytic, "Son, your sins 2:5 Jn 15:22are forgiven." 2:5 Mt 9:2,5; Lk 5:20,23; 7:48
6 But some of the scribes 2:6 Mt 2:4 were sitting there, questioning 2:6 Mk 9:33 in their hearts: 7 "Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming! 2:7 Ex 22:28; Mk 3:29; Rv 13:6 Who can forgive 2:7 Ps 25:11; Mt 9:2 sins 2:7 Jn 15:22 but God alone? " 2:7 Ex 34:6–7; Is 43:25; 44:2
8 Right away 2:8 Mk 10:52 Jesus perceived in his spirit 2:8 Lk 5:22; 16:15; Jn 2:25 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: 2:9 Lk 16:17; 18:25to say to the paralytic, 2:9 Mk 2:3‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’? 2:9 Mt 11:510 But so that you may know that the Son of Man 2:10 Ps 8:4; Lk 5:24; Ac 7:56has authority 2:10 Mt 28:18; Mk 1:22on earth to forgive sins" 2:10 Jn 15:22 — he told the paralytic — 11 "I tell you: get up, 2:11 Mk 5:41take 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 2:12 Ac 10:45 and gave glory 2:12 Jn 11:4; 17:1; 1Pt 2:12 to God, 2:12 Lk 2:14 saying, "We have never seen anything like this! " 2:12 Mt 9:33
The Call of Levi
13 Jesus 2:13–17 Mt 9:9–13; Lk 5:27–32 went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching 2:13 Mt 28:20; Ac 4:2; 2Tm 4:11 them. 14 Then, passing by, he saw Levi 2:14 Lk 5:27,29 the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, 2:14 Lk 5:27 and he said to him, "Follow me," 2:14 Lk 5:27 and he got up and followed 2:14 Lk 5:11; Jn 8:12 him.
15 While he was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors 2:15 Lk 3:12; 18:13 and sinners 2:15 Mt 9:10; 1Tm 1:15 were eating 2:15 Lit reclining together with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him. 16 When the scribes 2:16 Mt 2:4 who were Pharisees 2:16 Other mss read scribes and Pharisees, 2:16 Mk 7:3 saw that he was eating 2:16 Mt 11:18 with sinners 2:16 1Tm 1:15 and tax collectors, 2:16 Lk 3:12 they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat 2:16 Other mss add and drink with tax collectors and sinners? "
17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, "It is not those who are well who need 2:17 Mt 6:8a doctor, 2:17 Col 4:14but those who are sick. 2:17 Lk 5:31I didn’t come to call the righteous, 2:17 Mt 13:17; Rm 1:17but sinners." 2:17 Lk 5:32
A Question about Fasting
18 Now 2:18–22 Mt 9:14–17; Lk 5:33–39 John’s 2:18 Mk 1:4 disciples 2:18 Jn 3:25 and the Pharisees 2:18 Other mss read The disciples of John and of the Pharisees, 2:18 Mk 7:3 were fasting. 2:18 Lk 18:12; Ac 13:2 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 2:19 Jn 2:9is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast.20 But the time 2:20 Or the dayswill come 2:20 Mk 13:24when the groom will be taken away from them, 2:20 Lk 17:22; Jn 16:16–20and then they will fast 2:20 Lk 18:12on 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, 2:21 Lk 19:36and a worse tear is made.22 And no one puts new wine 2:22 Lk 5:37into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst 2:22 Jn 6:27the 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 2:23–28 Mt 12:1–8; Lk 6:1–5 the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples 2:23 Mk 10:10 began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees 2:24 Mk 7:3 said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful 2:24 Lk 6:2 on the Sabbath? "
25 He said to them, "Have you never read what David 2:25 Lk 1:27and those who were with him did when he was in need 2:25 Ac 2:45and hungry 2:25 Rv 7:16— 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar 2:26 1Sm 21:1–6the high priest 2:26 Lv 16:32and ate the bread of the Presence 2:26 Ex 25:30— which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests 2:26 Ac 4:1— and also gave some to his companions? "27 Then he told them, "The Sabbath was made for 2:27 Or because ofman and not man for the Sabbath. 2:27 Col 2:1628 So then, the Son of Man 2:28 Mk 2:10is Lord 2:28 Rm 7:25; 1Co 8:6; Col 3:22even of the Sabbath." 2:28 Lk 6:5