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Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man(A)

A few days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home. Many people gathered together so that there was no room in the house, not even ·outside [near; in front of] the door. And Jesus was ·teaching them God’s message [L speaking the word to them]. Four people came, carrying a paralyzed man. Since they could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug a hole in the roof right above where he was speaking. [C Palestinian roofs were generally flat and made of thatch and dried mud.] When they got through, they lowered the ·mat [cot] with the paralyzed man on it. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, “·Young man [Child; Son], your sins are forgiven.”

Some of the ·teachers of the law [scribes] were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this man ·say things like that [speak this way]? He is ·speaking as if he were God [L blaspheming]. ·Only God can forgive sins.” [L “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”; cf. Is. 43:25].

Jesus knew immediately [in his spirit] what these teachers of the law were thinking. So he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things [L in your hearts]? Which is easier: to tell this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up. Take your ·mat [cot] and walk’? 10 But ·I will prove to you [L so that you may know] that the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 11 “I tell you, stand up, take your ·mat [cot], and go home.” 12 Immediately the paralyzed man stood up, took his ·mat [cot], and walked out while everyone was watching him.

The people were [all] amazed and praised God. They said, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Jesus Calls Levi to Follow Him(B)

13 Jesus went to the lake again. The whole crowd ·followed him [came to him] there, and he taught them. 14 While he was walking along, he saw a man named Levi son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax collector’s booth [C probably a tariff booth for taxing goods in transit]. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he stood up and followed Jesus.

15 Later, as Jesus was ·having dinner [L reclining; C around a low table, the posture for a formal banquet or dinner party] at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating there with Jesus and his followers. Many people like this followed Jesus. 16 When the ·teachers of the law [scribes] who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they asked his followers, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [C Tax collectors were despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion.]

17 Jesus heard this and said to them, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. I did not come to ·invite [call] ·good people [the righteous; C meaning the “self-righteous” who feel no need to repent] but to ·invite [call] sinners [C those who recognize their need to repent].”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting(C)

18 Now the ·followers [disciples] of John [C the Baptist; 1:4–8] and the Pharisees often fasted [C giving up eating for spiritual purposes]. ·Some people [L They] came to Jesus and said, “Why do John’s ·followers [disciples] and the ·followers [disciples] of the Pharisees often fast, but your ·followers [disciples] don’t?”

19 Jesus answered, “The ·friends of the bridegroom [or wedding guests; L children of the wedding hall] do not fast while the bridegroom is still with them [C Jesus is referring to himself; John 3:29; Rev. 19:7]. As long as the bridegroom is with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the ·time [L days] will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and ·then [in that day] they will fast.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth over a hole in an old ·coat [garment]. Otherwise, the patch will shrink and pull away—the new patch will pull away from the old ·coat [garment]. Then the ·hole [tear] will be worse. 22 Also, no one ever pours new wine into old ·leather bags [wineskins]. Otherwise, the new wine will break the ·bags [skins; C as the wine ferments and expands], and the wine will be ·ruined [lost] along with the ·bags [skins]. But new wine should be put into new ·leather bags [wineskins].”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(D)

23 One Sabbath day, as Jesus was walking through some fields of grain, his ·followers [disciples] began to [make a path and] pick some grain to eat [Deut. 23:25]. 24 The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Why are your followers doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath day?” [C Gleaning was viewed as work, and therefore forbidden on the Sabbath; Ex. 34:21.]

25 Jesus answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and ·those with him [his companions] were hungry and needed food [1 Sam. 21:1–6]? 26 ·During the time of Abiathar [or, In the account about Abiathar] the high priest, David went into God’s house and ate the ·holy bread [consecrated bread; L bread of presentation], which is lawful only for priests to eat [Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–9]. And David also gave some of the bread to those who were with him.”

27 Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, “The Sabbath day was made ·to help people [T for man]; ·they were not made to be ruled by [T not man for] the Sabbath day. 28 So then, the Son of Man is ·Lord [Master] even of the Sabbath day.”

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