Mark 2
1 [Jesus and his disciples] returned to Capernaum [town]. A few days later, because it was {people} heard that Jesus was in [his] house,
A few days later Jesus went to Capernaum again, and the people heard that he was at home.
2 many people gathered there. As a result, [after the people filled the house], there was no longer space to stand [in the house or outside] around the doorway. Jesus preached [God’s] message to them.
Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no longer any room, not even at the door, and he was speaking the word to them.
3 Some people came to the house bringing to Jesus a man who was paralyzed. He was carried by four men {Four men carried [him]} [on a sleeping pad].
Then some people came to him, bringing a paralytic carried by four men.
4 They were not able to bring the man to Jesus because there was a crowd there. So they [went up the steps to the flat roof and] removed [some of] the tiles [above] where Jesus was. Then, after they made a [big] hole in the roof, they lowered [by ropes] the sleeping pad on which the paralyzed man lay. They lowered [it through the hole, down in front of Jesus].
Since they were not able to come near Jesus because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. After digging through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
5 After Jesus perceived that the men believed [that he could heal this man], he said to the paralyzed man, “My friend, [I] forgive your sins!”
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, yoʋr sins are forgiven yoʋ.”
6 There were some men who taught [the Jewish] laws sitting there. They started thinking like this:
Now some of the scribes were sitting there and questioning in their hearts:
7 “(Who does this man think he is, talking like that/This man shouldn’t talk like that!) [RHQ]? (He is insulting God!/Does he think he is God?) [RHQ] (No person can forgive sins!/Who can forgive sins?) [RHQ] Only God can forgive sins!”
“Why does this man speak such blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Jesus sensed that they were deliberating like that within themselves. So he said to them, “(You should not question within yourselves [whether I have the right to forgive this man’s sins]!/Why do you question [whether I have the right to forgive this man’s sins]?) [RHQ]
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves, so he said to them, “Why are you questioning these things in your hearts?
9 It is [not risky] [RHQ] for someone to tell the man who is paralyzed, ‘Your sins are forgiven {[I] forgive your sins},’ [because no one can prove that it has happened]. But no one would say to him, ‘Get up, pick up your stretcher, and then walk away’, [unless he really had the power to heal him, because people can easily see whether it happens or not].
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Yoʋr sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up yoʋr mat, and walk’?
10 So I [will do something] in order that you may know that [God] has authorized me, the one who came from heaven, to forgive sins on earth [as well as to heal people].” Then he said to the paralyzed man,
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
11 “To you I say, ‘Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad! And then go home!’”
“I say to yoʋ, rise, pick up yoʋr mat, and go to yoʋr house.”
12 The man stood up immediately! He picked up the sleeping pad, and then he went away, while all the people [there] were watching. They were all amazed, and they praised God and said, “We have never before seen anything like [what happened] just now!”
So the man immediately rose, picked up his mat, and went out in front of them all, so that they were all amazed and began glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
13 Jesus left [Capernaum town again and walked with his disciples] alongside [Galilee] lake. A large crowd came to him. Then he taught them.
Once again Jesus went out by the sea. The entire crowd came to him, and he taught them.
14 As he walked on further, he saw a man named Levi, whose other name was Matthew, and whose father’s name was Alpheus. He was sitting in his office where he collected taxes [for the Roman government]. Jesus said to him, “Come with me [and become my disciple]!” So he got up and went with Jesus.
As he was walking along, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” so Levi rose and followed him.
15 [Later], Jesus was eating a meal in Levi’s house. Many men who collected taxes and [other] people who were [considered to be] sinning regularly were eating with Jesus and his disciples. [This was not surprising], for there were many people like this who were going [everywhere] with Jesus.
Later, as Jesus was reclining at the table in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners reclined with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
16 The [men who taught the Jewish] laws [who were there] and who were members of the Pharisee [sect] saw that Jesus was eating with men who collected taxes and [others who were considered] {[whom they considered]} [to be] sinners. So they said to his disciples, “(It is disgusting that he eats with [such disgusting] men as those who collect taxes, and with [other] sinners!/Why is it that he eats with [such disgusting] men as those who collect taxes, and with [other] sinners?)” [RHQ]
When the scribes and the Pharisees saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, “Why is he eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 After Jesus heard [what they were saying], he said to the men who taught the [Jewish] laws, “People who [consider that they] are well do not seek a doctor. On the contrary, it is those who are sick [who seek a doctor] [MET]!” [This he said to indicate that it was those who knew that they had sinned who were coming to him in order that he might help them spiritually]. And he said, “I did not come to invite people [who think that] [IRO] they are righteous [to come to me and turn from their sinful behavior]. On the contrary, I came [from heaven to invite] people who [know that they] are sinners, [in order that they might turn from their sins and come to me].”
When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
18 The disciples of John [the Baptizer] and some men who belonged to the Pharisee [sect] used to abstain from food [to show that they wanted to please God]. One day, some people came [to Jesus] and asked him [critically], “The disciples of John and the Pharisees (fast/abstain from food) [from time to time], but your disciples do not. [We think they should abstain from food also. What do you say about that] [RHQ]?”
Now the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees were fasting. So some people came and said to Jesus, “Why is it that the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but yoʋr disciples do not fast?”
19 [Jesus wanted them to understand that it was not appropriate for his disciples to show sorrow by abstaining from food while he was still with them]. So he said to them, “When a man is marrying a woman, his friends will certainly not abstain from food while he is still with them, will they [RHQ]? No. During the time that he is with them, they will not abstain from food [because they are happy together].
Jesus said to them, “Can the bridegroom's attendants fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
20 But some day, he will be taken away {his [enemies] will take him away} from them. Then, in those days, they will abstain from food, [because they will be sad].”
But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.
21 [Jesus wanted to show that those who desire to live in accordance with his new message should not try to continue to obey the old religious traditions like fasting. So he also said to them], “People do not sew a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment [in order to mend a hole]. If they did that, [when they washed the garment, the patch would shrink] and the new [piece of cloth] would tear off more of the old cloth. As a result, the hole would become bigger!
“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the garment's new patch would pull away from the old cloth, and a worse tear would be made.
22 [Similarly], people do not put newly [squeezed] grape juice into old skin bags [to store it]. If they did that, that juice will burst the skin bags [because they would not stretch when the wine ferments and expands]. As a result both the wine and the skin bags would be ruined! On the contrary, people must put new wine into new skin bags!” [MET]
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins; the wine would be spilled, and the wineskins would be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”
23 On one (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest) Jesus was walking through some grain fields with his disciples. As they were walking along [through the grain fields], the disciples were plucking some of the heads of grain. [They rubbed them in their hands to remove the chaff, and were eating the grain. The laws of Moses permitted people to do that if they were hungry].
On the Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to make their way, plucking heads of grain.
24 [Some of] the Pharisees [saw them doing what they considered to be work. So they] said to him, “Look! (They should not be doing on our (Sabbath day/day of rest) [work] that our laws forbid!/Why are they doing on our (Sabbath day/day of rest) [work] that our laws forbid?) [RHQ]”
So the Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why are they doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
25 [Jesus wanted to show them that the record in the Scriptures indicated that God permitted people to disobey certain religious laws when they needed food]. So he said to them, “[It is written in the Scriptures] what [our revered ancestor, King] David, did when he needed food, and both he and the men with him were hungry. You have read about that, but ([you do not think about what it implies./why do you not think about what it implies]?) [RHQ]
He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and those who were with him,
26 During the time Abiathar was high priest, David entered the big tent [where people worshipped] God [and asked for some bread. The high priest gave him some] of the loaves of bread. That bread was the bread he had presented to God. It was permitted in one of Moses’ laws that only the priests could eat that bread! But David ate some of it. Then he also gave some of it to the men who were with him. [But God did not consider that was wrong!]”
how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except for the priests, and how he also gave it to those who were with him?”
27 Jesus said to them further, “[God] established (the day of rest/the Sabbath day) [to help] people! He did not create people to [obey rules about] (the Sabbath/the day of rest)!
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
28 And [think about this]: I am the one who came from heaven. So I have the authority [to determine what is right for my disciples to do] (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day)!”
So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
