1 A fter some days Jesus went back to the city of Capernaum. Then news got around that He was home.

¶ And again he entered into Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that he was in the house.

2 S oon many people gathered there. There was no more room, not even at the door. He spoke the Word of God to them.

And soon many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door; and he preached the word unto them.

3 F our men came to Jesus carrying a man who could not move his body.

And they came unto him, bringing a paralytic, carried by four men.

4 T hese men could not get near Jesus because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof of the house over where Jesus stood. Then they let down the bed with the sick man on it.

And when they could not come near unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof of the house where he was; and when they had broken it open, they let down the bed in which the paralytic lay.

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

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the paralytic, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.

6 S ome teachers of the Law were sitting there. They thought to themselves,

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

7 “ Why does this Man talk like this? He is speaking as if He is God! Who can forgive sins? Only One can forgive sins and that is God!”

Why does this fellow so blaspheme? Who can forgive sins but God only?

8 A t once Jesus knew the teachers of the Law were thinking this. He said to them, “Why do you think this in your hearts?

And Jesus, knowing afterward in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said unto them, Why think ye these things in your hearts?

9 W hich is easier to say to the sick man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your bed, and start to walk?’

What is easier to say to the paralytic, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk?

10 I am doing this so you may know the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” He said to the sick man who could not move his body,

But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins (he spoke to the sick of the palsy),

11 “ I say to you, ‘Get up. Take your bed and go to your home.’”

I say unto thee, Arise and take up thy bed and go to thy house.

12 A t once the sick man got up and took his bed and went away. Everybody saw him. They were all surprised and wondered about it. They thanked God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Jesus Calls Matthew

And by and by he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We never saw anything like unto this.

13 J esus walked along the sea-shore again. Many people came together and He taught them.

¶ And he went again unto the sea; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

14 H e walked farther and saw Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at his work gathering taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” Levi got up and followed Him. Jesus Eats with Tax-Gatherers and Sinners

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

15 J esus ate in Levi’s house. Many men who gather taxes and others who were sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His followers. There were many following Him.

And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at the table in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also at the table together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many and they had followed him.

16 T he teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers saw Jesus eat with men who gather taxes and others who were sinners. They said to His followers, “Why does He eat and drink with men who gather taxes and with sinners?”

And the scribes and Pharisees, seeing him eat with publicans and sinners, said unto his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?

17 J esus heard it and said to them, “People who are well do not need a doctor. Only those who are sick need a doctor. I have not come to call those who are right with God. I have come to call those who are sinners.” Jesus Teaches about Going without Food So You Can Pray Better

When Jesus heard it, he said unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.

18 T he followers of John and the proud religious law-keepers were not eating food so they could pray better. Some people came to Jesus and said, “Why do the followers of John and the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers do not?”

¶ And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees did fast and therefore came and said unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 J esus said to them, “Can the friends at a wedding go without food when the man just married is with them? As long as they have him with them, they will not go without food.

And Jesus said unto them, Can those who are in a wedding fast while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 T he days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better.

But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast in those days.

21 N o man sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat. If it comes off, it will make the hole bigger.

No one mends an old garment with a new piece of cloth, or else the new piece that filled it up tears away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

22 N o man puts new wine into old skin bags. The skin would break and the wine would run out. The bags would be no good. New wine must be put into new skin bags.” Jesus Teaches about the Day of Rest

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are lost; but new wine must be poured into new wineskins.

23 A t that time Jesus walked through the grain-fields on the Day of Rest. As they went, His followers began to take some of the grain.

And it came to pass that as he went through the planted fields again on the sabbath day, his disciples began, as they walked, to pluck the ears of grain.

24 T he proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, “See! Why are they doing what the Law says should not be done on the Day of Rest?”

And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

25 H e said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and those that were with him?

26 H e went into the house of God when Abiathar was head religious leader of the Jews. He ate the special bread used in the religious worship. The Law says only the Jewish religious leaders may eat that. David gave some to those who were with him also.”

How 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 but for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?

27 J esus said to them, “The Day of Rest was made for the good of man. Man was not made for the Day of Rest.

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath;

28 T he Son of Man is Lord of the Day of Rest also.”

therefore the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.