< 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,
When he came back to Capernaum after a few days, it was 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.
So many gathered there that there was no more space, not even at the door, and Jesus spoke 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 men came to him who were bringing a paralyzed man; four people were carrying him.
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].
When they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof that was above Jesus, and after they made an opening, they lowered the bed the paralyzed man was lying on.
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!”
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
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 they reasoned 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!”
“How can this man speak this way? He blasphemes! 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 what they were thinking among themselves. He said to them, “Why are you thinking this 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].
What is easier to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven' or to say 'Get up, take up your bed, 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 in order 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 you, get up, take up your mat, and go to your 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!”
He got up and immediately took up the mat, and went out of the house in front of everyone, so that they were all amazed and they gave glory to God, and they said, “We never saw 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.
He went out again by the lake, and all the 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 passed by, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's tent and he said to him, “Follow me.” He got up 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.
Jesus was having a meal in Levi's house and many tax collectors and sinful people were dining with him and his disciples, for there were many and they 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, who were Pharisees, saw that Jesus was eating with the sinful people and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinful people?”
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, “People who are strong in body do not need a physician; only people who are sick need one. I did not come to call righteous people, but sinful people.”
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 John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your 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 wedding attendants fast while the bridegroom is still 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 will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and in those days, they will fast.
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 man sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment, otherwise the patch will tear away from it, the new from the old, and there will be a worse tear.
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]
No man puts new wine into old wineskins, otherwise the wine will burst the skins and both the wine and the wineskins will be lost. Instead, put new wine into fresh 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 day Jesus went through some grainfields, and his disciples began to pick 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]”
The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing something that is not lawful on the Sabbath day?”
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 was in need and hungry—he and the men 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 went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the presence, which it is unlawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he even gave some 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)!
Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind 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)!”
Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”

< Mark 2 >