The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

1Whena he entered Capernaumb again after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the worda to them. 3They came to him bringing a paralytic,a carried by four of them. 4Since they were not able to bring him toA Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. 5Seeing their faith,a Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sinsb are forgiven.”c

6But some of the scribesa were sitting there, questioningb in their hearts: 7“Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming!a Who can forgiveb sinsc but God alone? ”d

8Right awaya Jesus perceived in his spiritb that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier:a to say to the paralytic,b ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’?c 10But so that you may know that the Son of Mana has authorityb on earth to forgive sins”c — he told the paralytic — 11“I tell you: get up,a take your mat, and go home.”

12Immediately he got up, took the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astoundeda and gave gloryb to God,c saying, “We have never seen anything like this! ”d

The Call of Levi

13Jesusa went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to him, and he was teachingb them. 14Then, passing by, he saw Levia the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,b and he said to him, “Follow me,”c and he got up and followedd him.

15While he was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectorsa and sinnersb were eatingA with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him. 16When the scribesa who were Phariseesa b saw that he was eatingc with sinnersd and tax collectors,e they asked his disciples, “Why does he eatB with tax collectors and sinners? ”

17When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who needa a doctor,b but those who are sick.c I didn’t come to call the righteous,d but sinners.”e

A Question about Fasting

18Nowa John’sb disciplesc and the Phariseesa d were fasting.e People came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples do not fast? ”

19Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the grooma is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20But the timeA will comea when the groom will be taken away from them,b and then they will fastc on that day. 21No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth,a and a worse tear is made. 22And no one puts new winea into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burstb the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. No, new wine is put into fresh wineskins.”

Lord of the Sabbath

23Ona the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciplesb began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. 24The Phariseesa said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawfulb on the Sabbath? ”

25He said to them, “Have you never read what Davida and those who were with him did when he was in needb and hungryc —  26how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathara the high priestb and ate the bread of the Presencec — which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priestsd — and also gave some to his companions? ” 27Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made forA man and not man for the Sabbath.a 28So then, the Son of Mana is Lordb even of the Sabbath.”c