Chapter 2

1Several days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and people heard that he was staying in a house.

2So many people gathered that there was no room left, even outside the door. Jesus spoke his message to them.

3Four people came carrying a paralyzed man to Jesus.

4They could not reach Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above him. After digging through it, they lowered the paralyzed man on the mat where he was lying.

5When Jesus saw their trust, he said to the paralyzed man, “My child, the wrongs you have committed against God are forgiven.”

6Some Jewish law teachers were sitting there, thinking to themselves,

7“Why does this man talk like that? He is insulting God! Who but God alone can forgive sins?”

8Jesus immediately knew within himself what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking these things?

9Which is easier: to tell the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?

10Jesus continued, “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority here on earth to forgive sins.” Then he turned to the paralyzed man

11and said, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

12The man got up, immediately picked up his mat, and walked out in front of everyone. They were all amazed and praised God. “We have never seen anything like this!” they said.

13Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them.

14As Jesus walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-collection booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Levi got up and followed him.

15Later, Jesus was eating at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and people regarded as sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples. Many such people were following him.

16Some Jewish law teachers who belonged to the Pharisee religious group saw Jesus eating with these sinners and tax collectors. They asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17Jesus heard them and replied, “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. I did not come to call people who do what is right, but people who sin.”

18John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting—going without food for a religious purpose. Some people came and asked Jesus, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, while your disciples do not?”

19Jesus answered, “Can wedding guests fast while the groom is with them? As long as the groom is there, they cannot fast.

20Jesus continued, “But the time will come when the groom is taken away from them. Then, on that day, they will fast.

21“No one sews a patch of new, unshrunk cloth onto old clothing. If they do, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth, making the tear worse.

22“And no one pours new wine into old leather wineskins. If they do, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. New wine goes into fresh wineskins.”

23One Sabbath, Jesus was walking through the grainfields. As his disciples went along, they began picking heads of grain.

24The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! Why are they doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath?”

25Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were in need and hungry?

26Jesus continued, “When Abiathar was high priest, David entered God’s house and ate the sacred bread placed before God. Only the priests were permitted to eat that bread, but David also gave some to his companions.”

27Then Jesus told them, “The Sabbath was made for people; people were not made for the Sabbath.

28So the Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath.”