Mark 2

1 A few days [after some time, a short period] later Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] went back [again, once more] to Capernaum [a town in Palestine, His home base]. And when the people [the crowd, those gathered] heard [understood, learned] that He was [present, residing] home [in the house, at His residence], word study 2 they gathered [in large crowds, many people] in such large numbers [to the point of overflowing] that there was no more room [no available space], not even outside [around] the door [entrance, opening], as Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] spoke [preached, taught] the word [message, divine truth] to them. word study 3 Then [and they came] a paralytic [sick of the palsy, paralyzed] was brought [carried, borne] to Him [to Jesus], carried [borne, led] by [under, with the help of] four [a group of four] men [individuals, people]. word study 4 Since they were unable [not having the power or ability] to get to Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior] through the crowd [a large multitude, a throng of people], they uncovered [removed the roof, took off the covering] the roof [the top covering of a house] above Him, made an opening [broke it up, dug through], and lowered [let down, brought down] the paralytic [a person unable to move, paralyzed] on his mat [a simple bed or pallet, a place of rest]. word study 5 When Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] saw [perceived, attended to] their faith [trust and confidence in God], He said to the paralytic [the sick of the palsy, someone paralyzed], “Son [child, born to parents], your sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards] are forgiven [released, left, sent away] [to you, for your benefit].” word study 6 But some [certain, specific] of the scribes [scholars, teachers of the law] were sitting [seated, in a position of authority] there [in that place, at that moment] and thinking [reasoning, pondering deeply] in their hearts [their innermost being, the seat of thoughts and emotions], word study 7 “Why does this man [thus, in this manner] speak like this? He is [committing] blaspheming! Who can forgive [release, let go of] sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards] but God [the one true deity] alone?” word study 8 At once [immediately, without delay] Jesus knew [perceived, had insight] in His spirit [the vital principle, divine nature] that they were thinking [reasoning, pondering] this way [thus, in this manner] within themselves [in their hearts, minds]. “Why are you thinking [reasoning, deliberating] these things [thoughts, ideas] in your hearts [the seat of thoughts, emotions, and desires]?” He asked [said, spoke]. word study 9 “Which [what option] is easier [more simple, less difficult]: to say [declare, proclaim] to a paralytic [sick of the palsy, paralyzed person], ‘Your sins [transgressions, missing the mark] are forgiven [released, left] [by God’s grace, through faith],’ or to say [command, instruct], ‘Get up [arise, stand], pick up [lift, take] your mat [bed, pallet], and walk’? word study 10 But so that you may know [be aware, perceive] that the Son [the divine Representative] of Man [a human, the Messiah] has authority [the power to act] on earth [the physical world] to forgive [release from guilt] sins [missing the mark]…” He said [spoke] to the paralytic [one paralyzed, crippled], word study 11 “I tell [say unto] you, get up [arise, stand up], pick up [take up, lift] your mat [bed, pallet], and go [depart, go away] home [to your house, into your own house].” word study 12 And immediately [at once, without delay] the man got up [arose, stood up], picked up his mat [bed, pallet], and walked out [went forth] in front of them all [before everyone]. As a result [therefore, consequently], they were all astounded [amazed, shocked] and glorified [praised, honored] God [the one true deity], saying, “We have never [at no time, not ever] seen anything like this [such a thing, this manner]!” word study 13 Once again [a second time, anew] Jesus went out [came forth, departed] beside [by, near] the sea [a large body of water]. All [every, the whole multitude of] the people came [resorted, gathered] to Him, and He taught [instructed, guided] them [the crowd, the multitude] there [in that place]. word study 14 As He was walking along [passing by, going on His way], He saw Levi [the son of Alpheus, a tax collector] son of Alphaeus [the father of James and Levi] sitting [seated, in a position of authority] at the tax booth [the place of toll, the customs office]. “Follow Me [come with Me, be My disciple],” He told him, and Levi got up [arose, stood up from his seat] and followed Him [accompanied Jesus, became His follower]. word study 15 While Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Anointed] was dining [reclining at table, sharing a meal] at Levi’s house [home, dwelling place], many tax collectors [publicans, gatherers of revenue] and sinners [those who miss the mark, lawless ones] were eating with Him [in His presence, as His guests] and His disciples [learners, followers]—for there were many [a large multitude, numerous] who followed [accompanied, walked with] Him. word study 16 When the scribes [scholars of the law, teachers] who were Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict followers of tradition] saw Jesus eating [sharing a meal, fellowship] with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat [fellowship, share a meal] with tax collectors [those who gather public revenue, outcasts] and sinners [those who miss the mark, lawbreakers, the unrighteous]?” word study 17 On hearing [and understanding, with spiritual perception] this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy [those who are whole, complete] who need a doctor [physician, healer], but the sick [those who are ill, spiritually or physically]. I have not come to call the righteous [those who are just, upright], but sinners [those who are sinful, guilty, and in need of repentance].” word study 18 Now John’s [the Baptist, a prophet] disciples and the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict followers of tradition] were often [frequently, as a regular practice] fasting [abstaining from food, for spiritual purposes]. So people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t Your disciples [learners, followers] fast [go without food, for religious reasons] like John’s disciples [pupils of John the Baptist] and those of the Pharisees [adherents of the Pharisee sect]?” word study 19 Jesus replied, “How can the guests [friends, attendants] of the bridegroom [the husband in a newly formed marriage] fast [abstain from food, go without eating] while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot [are not able, do not have the power] fast [refrain from food, practice self-denial]. word study 20 But the time [a future season, days to come] will come when the bridegroom [the husband in a newly formed marriage] will be taken [removed, away from] from them; then [at that point, in those days] they will fast [abstain from food, for religious reasons]. word study 21 No one sews a patch [new cloth] of unshrunk cloth [undressed, not previously washed or shrunk] on an old [worn, previously used] garment. If he does, the new piece [the freshly sewn patch] will pull away from the old [the previously existing fabric], and a worse [more severe, greater] tear [split, division] will result. word study 22 And no one [nobody, not a single person] pours new [fresh, recently created] wine into old [aged, worn out] wineskins [leather bags]. If he does, the wine will burst [violently break] the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined [completely destroyed]. Instead, new [youthful, recently made] wine is poured into new [unused, recently made] wineskins [containers for holding wine].” word study 23 One Sabbath [day of rest, seventh day of the week] Jesus was passing [walking, traveling] through the grainfields [planted fields, corn fields], and His disciples [learners, followers] began [started, commenced] to pick [pluck, gather] the heads of grain [ears of corn, wheat] as they walked [went, journeyed] along. word study 24 So the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] said to Him, “Look [behold, see], why are they doing [performing, carrying out] what is unlawful [not permitted, forbidden] on the Sabbath [a day of rest, the seventh day of the week]?” word study 25 Jesus replied [in response to their questioning], “Have you [ever in your life] never [at any time] read [studied or learned from] what David [the king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] did [performed or accomplished] when he [personally] and his companions [those who followed him] were [experienced a state of] hungry [in need of food, feeling hunger] and in need [lacking or requiring something, having a necessity]? word study 26 During the high priesthood [a position of great spiritual authority] of Abiathar [a prominent Israelite leader], he entered [went into, stepped into] the house [temple, place of worship] of God [the one true deity, Creator of all] and ate [consumed, partook of] the consecrated [set apart, holy] bread [loaves of showbread], which was lawful [permitted, allowed] only for the priests [those set apart for spiritual service]. And he gave [shared, distributed] some to his companions [those who were with him, his fellow travelers] as well [also, in addition].” word study 27 Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath [day of rest, for man’s benefit] was made [created, established] for man [humanity, people], not man [humans, people] for the Sabbath [the day of worship, rest]. word study 28 Therefore [so, as a result], the Son [a child of God] of Man [a human being] is Lord [God, the supreme authority] even [also, including] of the Sabbath [a day of rest and worship].” word study