And having again entered Capernaum after (some) days, it was heard that he is at home, 2 and many were gathered so that it could hold no more, not even towards the door, and he was speaking the word to them, 3 and they come bringing to him a paralytic carried by four (people), 4 and being unable to bring to him because of the crowd, they removed the roof where he was and having broken (it) they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 And seeing their faith, Jesus says to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”
6 There were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this one speak thus? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins if not God alone?[fn]See “More on Michael Bird and the divine identity of Jesus in Mark.”[/fn] 8 And having known immediately in his spirit that in this way they are reasoning among themselves, Jesus says to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and take your bed and walk?’ 10 But so that you might know that the son of man has authority to forgive sins on the earth….”[fn]The authority expressed here anticipates the authority that will be given to the “son of man” when he is vindicated before the throne of God. The forgiveness of the man’s sins stands for the possible future forgiveness of Israel’s sins.[/fn] He says to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, ‘Rise, take your bed, and go away to your house. 12 And he rose, and immediately having taken the bed, he went out before all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying that “We never saw such a thing.”
13 And he went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And passing by he saw Levy the (son) of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-booth, and he says to him, “Follow me, and having risen he followed him.
15 And it happens that he is reclining in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many and they were following him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, seeing that he eats with the sinners and tax collectors, were saying to his disciples that “He eats with the tax collectors and sinners.” 17 And having heard Jesus says to them [that] “The strong do not have need of a healer but those being sick. I did not come to call righteous people but sinners.”
18 And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting. And they come and they say to him, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, and the disciples with you do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the sons of the groom fast while the groom is with them? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 Days will come when the groom is taken from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, it takes the fullness from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear occurs. 22 And no one throws new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is wasted, and the skins. But new wine for new wineskins.”
23 And it happened on the Sabbath that he is passing through the grainfields, and his disciples began to make a path, plucking the grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not right on the Sabbath? 25 And he says to them, “Did you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and those those with him, 26 how he entered into the house of God, at the time of high priest Abiathar, and ate the bread of the offering, which it is not right to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those being with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath came about because of the person and not the person because of the Sabbath; 28 so the son of man is lord also of the Sabbath.
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