1 A few days later, He {Iesous, Sought-After Healer} came again into Capernaum, and the news spread that He was inside the house {oikos: local dwelling}.
2 A great multitude gathered so that there was no room left, not even by the door, and He {Iesous, Faithful Teacher} was speaking the word {logon: divine message} to them.
3 Then they came to Him {Iesous, Miracle Worker}, carrying a paralytic {paralytikos: one without movement} who was borne by four.
4 And since they were unable to bring him to Him {Iesous, Compassionate Healer} because of the crowd {ochlos: obstructive multitude}, they removed the roofing above where He was; and after breaking through it, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying.
5 And Jesus {Iesous, Forgiver Of Sins}, seeing their faith, says to the paralytic, “Child, your sins {hamartiai: moral failures} are forgiven.”
6 But some of the scribes {grammateon: Law experts} were sitting there, and they were reasoning in their hearts {kardiais: inner thoughts}.
7 Why does this one speak in this way? He is blaspheming {blasphemei: irreverent speech}. Who is able to forgive sins except God {theos, Sole Forgiver}?
8 And immediately Jesus {Iesous, Divine Perceiver}, knowing in His spirit {pneuma: inner being} that they were reasoning this way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?”
9 Which is easier{eukopoteron: comparatively easier} to say to the paralytic, “Your sins{hamartiai: sinful offenses} are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise, take up your mat and walk”?
10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man {huios tou anthropou, Messianic Judge} has authority on earth to forgive sins {hamartias: release from guilt}—He says to the paralytic.
11 I {Iesous, Restoring Healer} say to you: “Rise up, take up your bed {krabatton: portable sleeping mat}, and go into your house.”
12 And he arose, and immediately, taking up the bed, went out before all, so that all were astonished and glorified God {Theos, Restoring Power}, saying, “We have never seen {eidomen: personally witnessed} anything like this.”
13 And He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to Him {Iesous, Divine Teacher}, and He was teaching {edidasken: giving instruction} them.
14 And as He {Iesous, Divine Teacher} was passing by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth {telonion: Roman tax office}, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” Then, having arisen, he followed Him.
15 It came about that, while He reclined in his house, many tax collectors {telonai: local tax gatherers} and sinners reclined with Jesus {Iesous, Table Fellowship Teacher} and His disciples, for there were many, and they were following Him.
16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, seeing that He {Iesous, Table Fellow} eats with sinners and tax collectors {telones: government revenue agents}, were saying to His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 And Jesus {Iesous, Merciful Caller} hearing it said to them, “Those who are strong have no need of a physician {iatros: medical healer}, but those who are ill do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
18 While the disciples {mathetai: apprentice students} of John and the Pharisees were observing a fast, they approached Jesus {Iesous, Heavenly Teacher} and asked, “Why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
19 And Jesus {Iesous, Joy-Bringing Bridegroom} said to them, “Can the attendants {huioi: close wedding attendants} of the bridal chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they are not able to fast.”
20 But days will come when the bridegroom {nymphios: central wedding figure} is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day {hemera: specific future moment}.
21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk {agnaphou: untreated cloth} cloth onto an old garment {himation: outer cloak}; otherwise, the patch that fills it pulls away from it—the new from the old—and a worse tear results.
22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins {askous: animal skin container}; otherwise, the wine will burst the wineskins and the wine is destroyed {apollytai: completely ruined}, and the skins are lost as well; but new wine belongs in new wineskins.
23 And it happened that He {Iesous, Sabbath Traveler} went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples {mathetai: devoted followers} began, as they went, to pluck the heads of grain.
24 And the Pharisees {Pharisaioi: religious leaders} were saying to Him {Iesous, Sabbath Judge}, “Look, why are they doing on the Sabbath what is not lawful?”
25 And He {Iesous, Scripture Teacher} says to them, “Have you never read what David did when he had need {chreian: urgent necessity} and was hungry, he and those with him?”
26 How he entered into the house of God {Theos, Lord of Sanctuary} in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the presentation {prothesis: set before God}, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave it to those who were with him.
27 And He {Iesous, Sabbath Lord} was saying to them, "The Sabbath {sabbaton: seventh-day rest} came into being for man, not man for the Sabbath."
28 Therefore, the Son of Man {huios tou anthropou: Messianic Authority Bearer} is Lord {Kyrios: Sovereign over Sabbath} even of the Sabbath.