Mark 2

Sometime later, Jesus returned to the town of Capernaum. Then, people learned that he was in a certain house.

So, very many people assembled there. {There were so many of them} that there was no room for them inside the house or even outside the door. Jesus preached the good news to them. \*

Then some people arrived {at the house} where Jesus was. Four of them were carrying a man who could not move.

However, because of how many people were there, they could not carry the man close to Jesus. So, they went up on the flat roof of the house and dug a hole through it. Then, they lowered the man down as he was lying on his sleeping pad. \*

Jesus perceived that these people believed {that he could heal the man}. So, he said to the man who could not move, “Young man, I forgive you for your sins!”

Now some teachers of the Jewish law were there. They were thinking to themselves,

“This man should not be saying that {he forgives sins}. The only one who can forgive sins is God. So, he is insulting God!” \*

As soon as {they thought that}, Jesus realized what they were thinking to themselves. He told them, “You should not be thinking to yourselves that {I cannot forgive sins}.

You may think that it is easy to claim to forgive this man who cannot move for his sins{, since it is difficult to prove whether this has happened}. Similarly, you may think that it is difficult to tell {this man who cannot move} to stand up, carry his sleeping pad, and walk around{, since it is easy to prove whether this has happened}. \*

However, I want you to know that God has authorized me, the Son of Man, to forgive people on earth for their sins.” So, he said to the man who could not move,

“Here is what I want you to do: stand up, carry your sleeping pad, and go home!”

Then the man stood up! As soon as {he did that}, he carried his sleeping pad and left. Everyone saw him {do those things}, and it impressed all of them. They praised God and declared that they had never seen anything like that before. \*

Then Jesus returned to the area next to the Sea of Galilee. A large group of people approached him, and he instructed them.

As Jesus was walking along, he noticed a man whose name was Levi. He was the son of a man whose name was Alphaeus. Levi was sitting in the booth {where the people came to pay him the taxes that the government required}. Jesus said to him, “Come with me and be my apprentice!” So, Levi stood up and went with him as his apprentice. \*

Later, Jesus was feasting in Levi’s home. Many people who collected taxes and other sinful people feasted with Jesus and his apprentices. All these people went with Jesus as his apprentices.

Then, some Pharisees who taught the Jewish law noticed that Jesus was eating food with sinful people and people who collected taxes. They told Jesus’ apprentices, “He should not be feasting with people who collect taxes and other sinful people.” \*

Jesus learned what they said. He told them, “People who are well do not need a doctor. Rather, people who are sick need a doctor. I am here not to invite those who think they are righteous to come to me. Rather, {I invite} those who know that they have sinned {to come to me}.” \*

One day, the Pharisees and the apprentices of John the Baptizer were abstaining from eating in order to please God. Meanwhile, some people visited Jesus. They asked him, “The apprentices of John the Baptizer and the apprentices of the Pharisees are abstaining from eating in order to please God. However, your apprentices do not do so. Why not?”

Jesus answered, “The friends of the bridegroom do not abstain from eating while the wedding celebration is still going on. Indeed, they continue to eat as long as the wedding celebration continues. \*

However, someday the bridegroom will no longer be with his friends. Then they will abstain from eating.

People do not attach a piece of unshrunken cloth on old clothing in order to mend a hole. However, suppose {that they did}. {When they washed the garment,} the new piece of cloth would shrink and completely rip out of the old clothing. As a result, the hole would become even bigger! \*

Similarly, people do not put fresh wine into old skin bags {to store it}. However, suppose {that they did}. The fresh wine {would ferment and expand} and tear open the skin bags. That would ruin the wine and the skin bags. So, in contrast, people put fresh wine into new skin bags.” \*

Later, Jesus {and his apprentices} were walking through grain fields during one of the Jewish days of rest. As the apprentices were walking along, they picked some grain {and ate it}.

So, some Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! Your apprentices should not be working on a Jewish day of rest. Our law forbids us to do that.” \*

Jesus replied, “Consider the story in the Scriptures about what King David did when he and the men who were with him became very hungry but did not have any food.

As you know, David entered the sacred tent while Abiathar was the ruling priest. He ate some of the bread that had been on display before God, and he had the men who were with him eat some of it too. He did that even though the law allowed only the priests to eat that bread.” \*

Then Jesus told the Pharisees, “God did not create humans because of the Jewish day of rest. Rather, he created the Jewish day of rest because of humans.

So then, I, the Son of Man, can decide {what is right for people to do} even during the Jewish day of rest!” \*