1 A nd again he entered into Capernaum, after days, and it was heard that he is in the house,

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

2 a nd immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door, and he was speaking to them the word.

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 A nd they come unto him, bringing a paralytic, borne by four,

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

4 a nd not being able to come near to him because of the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken up, they let down the couch 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 a nd Jesus having seen their faith, saith to the paralytic, `Child, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'

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 there were certain of the scribes there sitting, 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 doth this one thus speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins except one -- God?'

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 A nd immediately Jesus, having known in his spirit that they thus reason in themselves, said to them, `Why these things reason ye 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, The sins have been forgiven to thee? or to say, Rise, and take up thy couch, 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 ` And, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority on the earth to forgive sins -- (he saith 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 thee, Rise, and take up thy couch, and go away to thy house;'

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

12 a nd he rose immediately, and having taken up the couch, he went forth before all, so that all were astonished, and do glorify God, saying -- `Never thus did we see.'

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 A nd he went forth again by the sea, and all the multitude was coming unto him, and he was teaching them,

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

14 a nd passing by, he saw Levi of Alpheus sitting at the tax-office, and saith to him, `Be following me,' and he, having risen, did follow 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 A nd it came to pass, in his reclining (at meat) in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners were reclining (at meat) 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 the scribes and the Pharisees, having seen him eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners, said to his disciples, `Why -- that with the tax-gatherers and sinners he doth eat and drink?'

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 A nd Jesus, having heard, saith to them, `They who are strong have no need of a physician, but they who are ill; I came not to call righteous men, but sinners to reformation.'

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 A nd the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting, and they come and say to him, `Wherefore do the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees fast, and thy 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, `Are the sons of the bride-chamber able, while the bridegroom is with them, to fast? so long time as they have the bridegroom with them they are not able to 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 days shall come when the bridegroom may be taken from them, and then they shall 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 ` And no one a patch of undressed cloth doth sew on an old garment, and if not -- the new filling it up doth take from the old and the rent doth become 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 doth put new wine into old skins, and if not -- the new wine doth burst the skins, and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but new wine into new skins is to be put.'

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 A nd it came to pass -- he is going along on the sabbaths through the corn-fields -- and his disciples began to make a way, plucking the ears,

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, `Lo, why do they on the sabbaths that which is not lawful?'

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

25 A nd he said to them, `Did ye never read what David did, when he had need and was 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, (at `Abiathar the chief priest,') and the loaves of the presentation did eat, which it is not lawful to eat, except to the priests, and he gave also 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 for man was made, 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 s o that the son of man is lord also of the sabbath.'

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