The Son of Man Forgives and Heals
1 WhenHe entered Capernaumagain 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 messageto them.
3 Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic,carried by four men.
4 Since they were not able to bring him toJesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
5 Seeing their faith,Jesus told the paralytic,“Son, your sinsare forgiven.”
6 But some of the scribeswere sitting there, thinkingto themselves:
7 “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming!Who can forgivesinsbut God alone? ”
8 Right awayJesus understood in His spiritthat they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them,“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
9 Which is easier:to say to the paralytic,‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?
10 But so you may know that the Son of Manhas authorityon earth to forgive sins,”He told the paralytic,
11 “I tell you: get up,pick up your mat, and go home.”
12 Immediately he got up, picked up the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astoundedand gave gloryto God,saying, “We have never seen anything like this! ”
The Call of Matthew
13 ThenJesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to Him, and He taughtthem.
14 Then, moving on, He saw Levithe son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,and He said to him,“Follow Me! ”So he got up and followedHim.
Dining with Sinners
15 While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectorsand sinnerswere also guestswith Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him.
16 When the scribesof the Phariseessaw that He was eatingwith sinnersand tax collectors,they asked His disciples, “Why does He eatwith tax collectors and sinners? ”
17 When Jesus heard this, He told them,“Those who are well don’t needa doctor,but the sickdo need one. I didn’t come to call the righteous,but sinners.”
A Question about Fasting
18 NowJohn’sdisciplesand the Phariseeswere fasting.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 guestscannot fast while the groomis with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast.
20 But the timewill comewhen the groom is taken away from them,and then they will fastin 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,and a worse tear is made.
22 And no one puts new wineinto old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burstthe skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins.But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
Lord of the Sabbath
23 Onthe Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciplesbegan to make their way picking some heads of grain.
24 The Phariseessaid to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawfulon the Sabbath? ”
25 He said to them,“Have you never read what Davidand those who were with him did when he was in needand hungry—
26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiatharthe high priestand ate the sacred bread— which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests— and also gave some to his companions? ”
27 Then He told them,“The Sabbath was made forman and not man forthe Sabbath.
28 Therefore, the Son of Manis Lordeven of the Sabbath.”
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MRK/2-fe3b4cb30da607414c80138ed87b41c4.mp3?version_id=72—