Mark 2
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after [some] days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
A few days later Jesus returned home to Capernaum, and news spread that he was there.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
So many people crowded inside the house that it was packed, even outside the door, as Jesus told them the message.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
Four men had brought a man who was paralyzed,
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken [it] up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
but they could not get near Jesus because of the crowds. So they went up on the roof and took it apart. After they had made an opening above Jesus, they lowered down the mat with the paralyzed man lying on it.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
When Jesus saw the trust these men had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Some of the religious teachers sitting there thought to themselves,
7 Why doth this [man] thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
“Why is he talking like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins? Only God can do that!”
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Jesus knew right away what they were thinking. He said to them, “Why are you thinking like this?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, [Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
What's easier: to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy, )
But to convince you that the Son of man has the right to forgive sins,
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
I say to you (the paralyzed man), ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.’”
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
He stood up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of everyone there. They were all amazed, and praised God, saying “We've never ever seen anything like this!”
13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
Jesus went out beside the sea once more and taught the crowds that came to him.
14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphæus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-collector's booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Levi got up and followed Jesus.
15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
That evening Jesus ate dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and “sinners” joined Jesus and his disciples for the meal, for there were many of these people that followed Jesus.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
When the religious leaders of the Pharisees saw Jesus eating with such people, they asked Jesus' disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 When Jesus heard [it], he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It's not healthy people who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I haven't come to invite those who live right, but those who don't—the sinners.”
18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some of them came to Jesus, and asked him, “Why is it that John's disciples and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't?”
19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
“Do wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus asked them. “No. While the bridegroom's with them, they can't fast.
20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
But the day is coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they'll fast.
21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
No one puts a patch that's not shrunk on old clothes. Otherwise the new piece will shrink away from the old, and make the tear worse.
22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
No one puts new wine in old wineskins. Otherwise the wine will burst the wineskins, and both the wine and wineskins will be wasted. No. You put new wine in new wineskins.”
23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through the grain fields, his disciples started picking heads of grain as they walked along.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Look, why are they doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath?”
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
“Haven't you ever read what David did when he and his men were hungry and in need?” Jesus asked them.
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
“He went into God's house when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the consecrated bread which no one except the priests are permitted to eat, and gave it to his men too.”
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
“The Sabbath was made for your benefit, not for you to benefit the Sabbath,” he told them.
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
“So the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
