Add parallel Print Page Options

And he entered again into Capernaum after [several] days, and it was reported that he was at [the] house;

and straightway many were gathered together, so that there was no longer any room, not even at the door; and he spoke the word to them.

And there come to him [men] bringing a paralytic, borne by four;

and, not being able to get near to him on account of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was, and having dug [it] up they let down the couch on which the paralytic lay.

But Jesus, seeing their faith, says to the paralytic, Child, thy sins are forgiven [thee].

But certain of the scribes were there sitting, and reasoning in their hearts,

Why does this [man] thus speak? he blasphemes. Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?

And straightway Jesus, knowing in his spirit that they are reasoning thus within themselves, said to them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, [Thy] sins are forgiven [thee]; or to say, Arise, and take up thy couch and walk?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he says to the paralytic,

11 To thee I say, Arise, take up thy couch and go to thine house.

12 And he rose up straightway, and, having taken up his couch, went out before [them] all, so that all were amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it thus.

13 And he went out again by the sea, and all the crowd came to him, and he taught them.

14 And passing by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-office, and says to him, Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.

15 And it came to pass as he lay at table in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners lay at table with Jesus and his disciples; for they were many, and they followed him.

16 And the scribes and the Pharisees, seeing him eating with sinners and tax-gatherers, said to his disciples, Why [is it] that he eats and drinks with tax-gatherers and sinners?

17 And Jesus having heard [it] says to them, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those who are ill. I have not come to call righteous [men], but sinners.

18 And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting; and they come and say to him, Why do the disciples of John and [the disciples] of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

20 But days will come when the bridegroom shall have been taken away from them, and then shall they fast in that day.

21 No one sews a patch of new cloth on an old garment: otherwise its new filling-up takes from the old [stuff], and there is a worse rent.

22 And no one puts new wine into old skins; otherwise the wine bursts the skins, and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but new wine is to be put into new skins.

23 And it came to pass that he went on the sabbath through the cornfields; and his disciples began to walk on, plucking the ears.

24 And the Pharisees said to him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath what is not lawful?

25 And *he* said to them, Have ye never read what David did when he had need and hungered, *he* and those with him,

26 how he entered into the house of God, in [the section of] Abiathar [the] high priest, and ate the shew-bread, which it is not lawful unless for the priests to eat, and gave even to those that were with him?

27 And he said to them, The sabbath was made on account of man, not man on account of the sabbath;

28 so that the Son of man is lord of the sabbath also.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man(A)

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers(B) that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man,(C) carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”(D)

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”(E)

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man(F) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God,(G) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”(H)

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners(I)

13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him,(J) and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”(K) Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees(L) saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(M)

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(N)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting(O)

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.(P) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,(Q) and on that day they will fast.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(R)(S)

23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.(T) 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(U)

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest,(V) he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.(W) And he also gave some to his companions.”(X)

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man,(Y) not man for the Sabbath.(Z) 28 So the Son of Man(AA) is Lord even of the Sabbath.”