Mark 2

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

1When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2Soon 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, 3four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4They 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. 5Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

6But 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!”

8Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10So I will prove to you that the Son of Man#2:10 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. 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!”

12And 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)

13Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14As 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.

15Later, 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.) 16But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees#2:16a Greek the scribes of the Pharisees. saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?#2:16b Greek with tax collectors and sinners?”

17When 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

18Once 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?”

19Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20But 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

23One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 24But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”

25Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 26He 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.”

27Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

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Mark 2

The Paralytic Healed

1Jesus returned to Capernaum, and a few days later the news went out that He was at home. [Matt 4:13] 2So many people gathered together that there was no longer room [for them], not even near the door; and Jesus was discussing with them the word [of God]. 3Then they came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four men. [Matt 9:2-8; Luke 5:18-26] 4When they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they #2:4 The roof of a typical home was composed of clay tiles which were laid on a mat of branches and grass supported by wooden beams. The parallel passage in Luke explains that “they went up on the roof and lowered him through the tiles” (5:19).removed the roof above Jesus; and when they had dug out an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5When Jesus saw their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6But some of the #2:6 These were scholars of the Law and of the writings of the prophets.scribes were sitting there debating in their hearts [the implication of what He had said], 7“Why does this man talk that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins [remove guilt, nullify sin’s penalty, and assign righteousness] except God alone?” 8Immediately Jesus, being fully aware [of their hostility] and knowing in His spirit that they were thinking this, said to them, “Why are you debating and arguing about these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your mat and walk’? 10But so that you may know that the #2:10 Jesus uses this title to identify Himself as Messiah (cf Dan 7:13). It appears over eighty times in the Gospels. Especially notable is its use in 8:31.Son of Man has the authority and power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralyzed man, 11“I say to you, get up, pick up your mat and go home.” 12And he got up and immediately picked up the mat and went out before them all, so that they all were astonished and they glorified and praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

13Jesus went out again along the [Galilean] seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

Levi (Matthew) Called

14As He was passing by, He saw Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus sitting in the #2:14 I.e. customs office, toll house. Tax collection stations were usually located along the trade route or at the port.tax collector’s booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” And he got up and followed Him [becoming His disciple, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]. [Matt 9:9-17; Luke 5:27-39]

15And it happened that Jesus was #2:15 This Greek word was used to describe a festive meal with entertainment.reclining at the table in Levi’s house, and many tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews] were eating with Him and His disciples; for there were many of them and they were #2:15 See note 1:17.following Him. 16When the scribes [belonging to the sect] of the #2:16 These men were an influential religious body of Jews who rigidly adhered to Mosaic Law and ceremonial tradition. Jesus called them to account for their self-righteousness and hypocrisy.Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with the sinners [including non-observant Jews] and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat and drink with #2:16 All native Jews contracted by Rome to collect local taxes were despised, along with those who were non-observant Jews.tax collectors and sinners?” 17When Jesus heard this, He said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need of a physician, but [only] those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners [who recognize their sin and humbly seek forgiveness].”

18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting [as a ritual]; and they came and asked Jesus, “Why are John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fasting, but Your disciples are not doing so?” 19Jesus answered, “The attendants of the bridegroom #2:19 Jewish tradition (as recorded in the Talmud) held that it was a religious duty to congratulate and entertain the bride and groom during the wedding festivities. By analogy, Jesus is saying that His disciples ought to rejoice while He is with them rather than engage in fasting, which was a sign of mourning.cannot fast while the bridegroom is [still] with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom is [forcefully] #2:20 The words “taken away” allude to Jesus’ violent death on the cross (cf Is 53:8).taken away from them, and they will fast at that time.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse. 22No one puts new wine into old #2:22 See note Matt 9:17.wineskins; otherwise the [fermenting] wine will [expand and] burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the wineskins. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

Question of the Sabbath

23One Sabbath He was walking along [with His disciples] through the grainfields, and as they went along, His disciples began picking the heads of grain. [Deut 23:25; Matt 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5] 24The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what #2:24 See note Matt 12:2.is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 25Jesus said to them, “Have you never read [in the Scriptures] what David did when he was in need and was hungry, he and his companions; [1 Sam 21:1-6] 26how he went into the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat, and how he also gave it to the men who were with him?” [1 Sam 21:1-6] 27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. [Ex 23:12; Deut 5:14] 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath [and He has authority over it].”

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