Mark 2

(Matthew 9:1–8; Luke 5:17–26)

1A few daysG2250 laterG1223 Jesus went back toG1525G3825G1519 CapernaumG2584. And when the people heardG191 thatG3754 He wasG1510 homeG1722G3624, 2they gatheredG4863 in such large numbersG4183 thatG5620 there was no moreG3371 roomG5562, not evenG3366 outsideG4314 theG3588 doorG2374, as Jesus spokeG2980 theG3588 wordG3056 to themG846.

3ThenG2532 a paralyticG3885 was broughtG2064G5342 toG4314 HimG846, carriedG142 byG5259 fourG5064 men. 4SinceG2532 they were unableG3361G1410 to get toG4374 Jesus throughG1223 theG3588 crowdG3793, they uncoveredG648 theG3588 roofG4721 above HimG3699G1510, made an openingG1846, and loweredG5465 theG3588 paralyticG3885 onG3699 his matG2895.

5WhenG2532 JesusG2424 sawG3708 theirG846 faithG4102, He saidG3004 to theG3588 paralyticG3885, “SonG5043, yourG4771 sinsG266 are forgivenG863.”

6ButG1161 someG5100 of theG3588 scribesG1122 wereG1510 sittingG2521 thereG1563 andG2532 thinkingG1260 inG1722 theirG846 heartsG2588, 7“WhyG5101 does thisG3778 man speakG2980 like thisG3779? He is blasphemingG987! WhoG5101 canG1410 forgiveG863 sinsG266 butG1487G3361 GodG2316 aloneG1520?”

8

At onceG2112 JesusG2424 knewG1921 inG3588 HisG846 spiritG4151 thatG3754 they were thinkingG1260 this wayG3779 withinG1722 themselvesG1438. “WhyG5101 are you thinkingG1260 these thingsG3778 inG1722 yourG4771 heartsG2588?” He askedG3004G846. 9“WhichG5101 isG1510 easierG2123: to sayG2036 to a paralyticG3885, ‘YourG4771 sinsG266 are forgivenG863,’ orG2228 to sayG2036, ‘Get upG1453, pick upG142 yourG4771 matG2895, andG2532 walkG4043’? 10ButG1161 so thatG2443 you may knowG1492 thatG3754 theG3588 SonG5207 of ManG444 hasG2192 authorityG1849 onG1909 earthG1093 to forgiveG863 sinsG266...” He saidG3004 to theG3588 paralyticG3885, 11“I tellG3004 youG4771, get upG1453, pick upG142 yourG4771 matG2895, andG2532 goG5217 homeG1519G4771G3588G3624.”

12AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 the man got upG1453, picked upG142 his matG2895, and walked outG1831 in front ofG1726 them allG3956. As a resultG5620, they were allG3956 astoundedG1839 andG2532 glorifiedG1392 GodG2316, sayingG3004, “We have never seenG3763G3708 anything like thisG3779!”

Jesus Calls Levi

(Matthew 9:9–13; Luke 5:27–32)

13Once againG3825 Jesus went outG1831 besideG3844 theG3588 seaG2281. AllG3956 theG3588 peopleG3793 cameG2064 toG4314 HimG846, andG2532 He taughtG1321 themG846 there.

14

As He was walking alongG3855, He sawG3708 LeviG3018 son of AlphaeusG256 sittingG2521 atG1909 theG3588 tax boothG5058. “FollowG190 MeG1473,” He toldG3004 himG846, andG2532 Levi got upG450 and followedG190 HimG846.

15WhileG2532 Jesus was diningG2621 atG1722 Levi’s houseG3614, manyG4183 tax collectorsG5057 andG2532 sinnersG268 were eating withG4873 Him andG2532 HisG846 disciplesG3101—forG1063 there wereG1510 manyG4183 who followedG190 HimG846. 16WhenG2532 theG3588 scribesG1122 whoG3588 were PhariseesG5330 sawG3708 Jesus eatingG2068 withG3326 these people, they askedG2036G3588 HisG846 disciplesG3101, “Why doesG3754 He eatG20681 withG3326 tax collectorsG5057 andG2532 sinnersG268?”

17On hearing thisG191, JesusG2424 toldG3004 themG846, “It is notG3756 theG3588 healthyG2480 who needG5532 a doctorG2395, butG235 theG3588 sickG2560G2192. I have not comeG3756G2064 to callG2564 the righteousG1342, butG235 sinnersG268.”

Questions about Fasting

(Matthew 9:14–15; Luke 5:33–35)

18NowG2532 John’sG2491 disciplesG3101 andG2532 theG3588 PhariseesG5330 were oftenG1510 fastingG3522. SoG2532 people cameG2064 toG846 Jesus andG2532 askedG3004, “WhyG1223G5101 don’tG3756 YourG4674 disciplesG3101 fastG3522 like John’sG2491 disciplesG3101 andG2532 those of theG3588 PhariseesG5330?”

19

JesusG2424 repliedG2036, “How canG1410 theG3588 guestsG5207 of theG3588 bridegroomG3567 fastG3522G1722 whileG3739 He isG1510 withG3326 themG846? As long asG3745G5550 He is withG3326 themG846, they cannotG3756G1410 fastG3522. 20ButG1161 the timeG2250 will comeG2064 whenG3752 theG3588 bridegroomG3566 will be takenG522 fromG575 themG846; thenG5119G1722G1565G3588G2250 they will fastG3522.

The Patches and the Wineskins

(Matthew 9:16–17; Luke 5:36–39)

21No oneG3762 sewsG1976 a patchG1915 of unshrunkG46 clothG4470 onG1909 an oldG3820 garmentG2440. If he doesG1487G1161G3361, theG3588 new pieceG4138 will pull awayG142 fromG3588 the oldG3820, andG2532 a worseG5501 tearG4978 will resultG1096.

22AndG2532 no oneG3762 poursG906 newG3501 wineG3631 intoG1519 oldG3820 wineskinsG779. If he doesG1487G1161G3361, theG3588 wineG3631 will burstG4486 theG3588 skinsG779, andG2532 both theG3588 wineG3631 andG2532 theG3588 wineskinsG779 will be ruinedG622. InsteadG235, newG3501 wineG3631 is poured intoG1519 newG2537 wineskinsG779.”2

The Lord of the Sabbath

(1 Samuel 21:1–7; Matthew 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5)

23OneG2532G1096G1722 SabbathG4521 Jesus was passingG3899 throughG1223 theG3588 grainfieldsG4702, andG2532 HisG846 disciplesG3101 beganG756 to pickG5089 theG3588 heads of grainG4719 as they walked alongG4160G3598. 24So theG3588 PhariseesG5330 saidG2036 to HimG846, “LookG2400, whyG5101 are they doingG4160 whatG3739 is unlawfulG3756G1832 on theG3588 SabbathG4521?”

25

Jesus repliedG3004G846, “Have you never readG3763G314 whatG5101 DavidG1138 didG4160 whenG3753 heG846 andG2532 his companionsG3588G3326G846 were hungryG3983 andG2532 in needG5532? 26DuringG1909 the high priesthoodG749 of AbiatharG8, he enteredG1525G1519 theG3588 houseG3624 of GodG2316 andG2532 ateG5315 theG3588 consecrated breadG740G3588G4286,3 whichG3739 was lawfulG3756G1832 onlyG1487G3361 for theG3588 priestsG2409. AndG2532 he gaveG1325 some to his companionsG3588G1510G4862G846 as wellG2532.”

27ThenG2532 Jesus declaredG2036, “TheG3588 SabbathG4521 was madeG1096 forG1223 manG444, notG3756 manG444 forG1223 theG3588 SabbathG4521. 28ThereforeG5620, theG3588 SonG5207 of ManG444 isG1510 LordG2962 evenG2532 of theG3588 SabbathG4521.”