Mark 2: A paralyzed man, Levi, fasting, and the Sabbath
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Jesus returns to Capernaum, and four people lower a paralyzed man through a roof. Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven and then tells him to get up, and some scribes object. Jesus calls Levi, the tax collector, and eats with tax collectors and sinners. He is asked about fasting and about picking grain on the Sabbath, and he answers both.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Jesus speaks in verses 5, 8 to 11, 14, 17, 19 to 22 and 25 to 28, but his words are not in gold. Some scribes speak in their hearts in verse 7. The scribes and Pharisees speak in verse 16, people who came to Jesus in verse 18, and the Pharisees in verse 24. The crowd speaks in verse 12. No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was at home.
In plain English: When Jesus came back into Capernaum after some days, people heard that he was at home.
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2Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.
In plain English: At once so many people were gathered that there was no more room, not even around the door. Jesus spoke the word to them.
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3Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him.
In plain English: Four people came, carrying a paralyzed man to Jesus.
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4When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.
In plain English: They could not get near him because of the crowd, so they took the roof off above where he was. When they had broken it open, they let down the mat that the paralyzed man was lying on.
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5Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
In plain English: Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralyzed man, "Child, your sins are forgiven."
The Greek word: "Son" is teknon. The dictionary gives "a child (as produced)".
How it is translated: It is in 7 verses of Mark. This Bible prints "children" or "child" in 6 of them, and "Son" in the other (this verse). The Greek word for a son of a father is a different word, huios.
What changes: Read as "child", Jesus calls the man a child, as the word is printed in the other 6 verses. Read as "son", he calls him son, as this Bible prints it here. The text gives no more reason for the word.
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6But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,
In plain English: Some of the scribes were sitting there, thinking in their hearts,
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7“Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
In plain English: "Why does this man speak like that? He is speaking blasphemies. Who can forgive sins except God alone?"
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8Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts?
In plain English: At once Jesus knew in his spirit that they were thinking this way among themselves. He said to them, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
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9Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk’?
In plain English: Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take up your mat, and walk'?
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10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —he said to the paralytic—
In plain English: But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he said to the paralyzed man,
The Greek words: "Son of Man" is huios tou anthropou. Huios is "a son ... used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship". Anthropos is "a human being".
How it is translated: This Bible prints "Son of Man" in 13 verses of Mark, and this is the first.
What changes: Read as a title, "the Son of Man" is a name for a particular person. Read as plain words, it says "a son of a human being", and the verse says that a human being has authority on earth to forgive sins. The Greek words allow both.
Good to know: "Authority" is exousia, as in . The reading "power" is also possible in this verse.
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11“I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.”
In plain English: "I tell you: get up, take up your mat, and go to your house."
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12He arose, and immediately took up the mat and went out in front of them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
In plain English: The man got up, and at once took up the mat and went out in front of them all. Everyone was amazed and praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
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13He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.
In plain English: Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them.
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14As he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he arose and followed him.
In plain English: As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office. He said to him, "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.
Good to know: Mark names this man Levi, the son of Alphaeus. has Jesus passing by and saying "Follow me" to a man called Matthew at the tax office, and has him saying it to a tax collector named Levi. Mark says only what is written here. names a James, the son of Alphaeus.
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15He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.
In plain English: While Jesus was reclining at the table in his house (the text says only "his", so it may be Levi's house or Jesus's), many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many of them, and they followed him.
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16The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
In plain English: The scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors. They said to his disciples, "Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
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17When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
In plain English: When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "People who are healthy do not need a doctor. Those who are sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
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18John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”
In plain English: John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. They came and asked Jesus, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
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19Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can’t fast.
In plain English: Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen (word for word, "sons of the bridal room") fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
The Greek words: "Groomsmen" is, word for word, huioi tou nymphonos, "sons of the bridal room". Nymphon is "the bridal room". "Bridegroom" is nymphios, "a bride-groom".
How it is translated: Nymphios is in 2 verses of Mark, and in both this Bible prints "bridegroom".
What changes: Read as "sons of the bridal room", the phrase names those who belong in the bridal room with the bridegroom. Read as "groomsmen", which is what this Bible prints, it names the bridegroom's companions at the wedding. The text says only that they cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them.
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20But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
In plain English: But days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast, in those days.
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21No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.
In plain English: No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If someone does, the new patch pulls away from the old, and the tear becomes worse.
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22No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.”
In plain English: No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If someone does, the new wine bursts the skins, the wine is spilled, and the skins are ruined. Instead, new wine is put into fresh wineskins."
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23He was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.
In plain English: On the Sabbath day, Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as his disciples went along, they began to pluck the heads of grain.
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24The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?”
In plain English: The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"
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25He said to them, “Did you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry—he, and those who were with him?
In plain English: Jesus said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and those who were with him?
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26How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?”
In plain English: He went into God's house, in the time of Abiathar the high priest. He ate the show bread, which it is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him."
Good to know: Mark says David went into God's house "in the time of Abiathar the high priest" and ate the show bread. The story of David and the holy bread is told in to , where the priest is named Ahimelech. Mark says what is written here, and the verse in 1 Samuel says what is written there. The law about the show bread is in : "It shall be for Aaron and his sons."
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27He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
In plain English: Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
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28Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
In plain English: So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."
The Greek word: "Lord" is kyrios. The dictionary gives "supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)".
How it is translated: This Bible prints "lord" with a small letter in this verse.
What changes: Read as "lord" or "master", the verse says the Son of Man has control over the Sabbath. Read as "Lord", it uses the title that is also used of God. The Greek word allows both.
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