1 A nd again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.

And Jesus having returned to Capernaum, after some days it was rumored about that He was in the house.

2 I mmediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

And so many people gathered together there that there was no longer room, not even around the door; and He was discussing the Word.

3 T hen they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.

Then they came, bringing a paralytic to Him, who had been picked up and was being carried by four men.

4 A nd when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

And when they could not get him to a place in front of Jesus because of the throng, they dug through the roof above Him; and when they had scooped out an opening, they let down the '> thickly padded] quilt or mat upon which the paralyzed man lay.

5 W hen Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven and put away '> penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God].

6 A nd some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

Now some of the scribes were sitting there, holding a dialogue with themselves as they questioned in their hearts,

7 “ Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Why does this Man talk like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins '> remove guilt, remit the penalty, and bestow righteousness instead] except God alone?

8 B ut immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?

And at once Jesus, becoming fully aware in His spirit that they thus debated within themselves, said to them, Why do you argue (debate, reason) about all this in your hearts?

9 W hich is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘ Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?

Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven and put away, or to say, Rise, take up your sleeping pad or mat, and start walking about '> keep on walking]?

10 B ut that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” —He said to the paralytic,

But that you may know positively and beyond a doubt that the Son of Man has right and authority and power on earth to forgive sins—He said to the paralyzed man,

11 “ I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

I say to you, arise, pick up and carry your sleeping pad or mat, and be going on home.

12 I mmediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” Matthew the Tax Collector

And he arose at once and picked up the sleeping pad or mat and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and recognized and praised and thanked God, saying, We have never seen anything like this before!

13 T hen He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.

went out again along the seashore; and all the multitude kept gathering about Him, and He kept teaching them.

14 A s He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

And as He was passing by, He saw Levi (Matthew) son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, Follow Me! '> joined to Me as a disciple, side with My party!] And he arose and joined Him as His disciple and sided with His party and accompanied Him.

15 N ow it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

And as Jesus, together with His disciples, sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and persons '> definitely stained] with sin were dining with Him, for there were many who walked the same road (followed) with Him.

16 A nd when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with '> definitely known to be especially wicked] sinners and tax collectors, said to His disciples, Why does He eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

17 W hen Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

And when Jesus heard it, He said to them, Those who are strong and well have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick; I came not to call the righteous ones to repentance, but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).

18 T he disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were observing a fast; and came and asked Jesus, Why are John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fasting, but Your disciples are not doing so?

19 A nd Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

Jesus answered them, Can the wedding guests fast (abstain from food and drink) while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 B ut the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and they will fast in that day.

21 N o one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.

No one sews a patch of unshrunken (new) goods on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and the rent (tear) becomes bigger and worse.

22 A nd no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the bottles destroyed; but new wine is to be put in new (fresh) wineskins.

23 N ow it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.

One Sabbath He was going along beside the fields of standing grain, and as they made their way, His disciples began to pick off the grains.

24 A nd the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

And the Pharisees said to Him, Look! Why are they doing what is not permitted or lawful on the Sabbath?

25 B ut He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:

And He said to them, Have you never read what David did when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were accompanying him?—

26 h ow he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was the high priest, and ate the sacred loaves set forth, which it is not permitted or lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave to those who were with him?

27 A nd He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

And Jesus said to them, The Sabbath was made on account and for the sake of man, not man for the Sabbath;

28 T herefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.