Mark 2NKJV
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Mark2

New King James Version

1And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.

2Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

3Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.

4And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

6And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

7“Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?

9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?

10But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic,

11“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

12Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

13Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.

14As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

15Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

16And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

17When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

18The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

20But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

21No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.

22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

23Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.

24And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

25But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:

26how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

27And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

28Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Mark 2.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Christ heals one sick of the palsy. (1–12). Levi's call, and the entertainment given to Jesus. (13–17). Why Christ's disciples did not fast. (18–22). He justifies his disciples for plucking corn on the sabbath. (23–28).

vv1-12

It was this man's misery that he needed to be so carried, and shows the suffering state of human life; it was kind of those who so carried him, and teaches the compassion that should be in men, toward their fellow-creatures in distress. True faith and strong faith may work in various ways; but it shall be accepted and approved by Jesus Christ. Sin is the cause of all our pains and sicknesses. The way to remove the effect, is to take away the cause. Pardon of sin strikes at the root of all diseases. Christ proved his power to forgive sin, by showing his power to cure the man sick of the palsy. And his curing diseases was a figure of his pardoning sin, for sin is the disease of the soul; when it is pardoned, it is healed. When we see what Christ does in healing souls, we must own that we never saw the like. Most men think themselves whole; they feel no need of a physician, therefore despise or neglect Christ and his gospel. But the convinced, humbled sinner, who despairs of all help, excepting from the Saviour, will show his faith by applying to him without delay.

vv13-17

Matthew was not a good character, or else, being a Jew, he would never have been a publican, that is, a tax-gatherer for the Romans. However, Christ called this publican to follow him. With God, through Christ, there is mercy to pardon the greatest sins, and grace to change the greatest sinners, and make them holy. A faithful, fair-dealing publican was rare. And because the Jews had a particular hatred to an office which proved that they were subject to the Romans, they gave these tax-gatherers an ill name. But such as these our blessed Lord did not hesitate to converse with, when he appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh. And it is no new thing for that which is both well done and well designed, to be slandered, and turned to the reproach of the wisest and best of men. Christ would not withdraw, though the Pharisees were offended. If the world had been righteous, there had been no occasion for his coming, either to preach repentance, or to purchase forgiveness. We must not keep company with ungodly men out of love to their vain conversation; but we are to show love to their souls, remembering that our good Physician had the power of healing in himself, and was in no danger of taking the disease; but it is not so with us. In trying to do good to others, let us be careful we do not get harm to ourselves.

vv18-22

Strict professors are apt to blame all that do not fully come up to their own views. Christ did not escape slanders; we should be willing to bear them, as well as careful not to deserve them; but should attend to every part of our duty in its proper order and season.

Cross References

Mark 2
v251 Samuel 21:6thematic

David obtains the holy bread from Ahimelech/Abiathar, which Jesus cites to justify His disciples.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v7Isaiah 43:25thematic

Old Testament declaration that God alone blots out transgressions, grounding the scribes' objection.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v17Matthew 9:13quotation

Parallel containing Jesus' call of sinners, quoting Hosea 6:6 regarding mercy over sacrifice.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v23Matthew 12:1-8thematic

Parallel account of the disciples plucking grain and Jesus' defense using David's example.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v28Matthew 12:8thematic

Parallel declaration of the Son of man's lordship over the Sabbath day.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v4Luke 5:19thematic

Parallel describing the lowering of the paralytic through the roof tiling.

Supported by JFB

v14Matthew 9:9thematic

Parallel account of the call of Matthew (Levi) at the tax office.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v18Luke 5:33-39thematic

Parallel discussion on fasting, including the parables of the garments and wineskins.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v20John 3:29allusion

John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Bridegroom, matching Christ's self-designation here.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v26Leviticus 24:5-9thematic

The Levitical law specifying that the shewbread is reserved exclusively for Aaron and his sons.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v3Luke 5:18thematic

Parallel account introducing the men carrying the paralytic on a bed.

Supported by JFB

v11John 5:8-10thematic

Jesus commands another paralytic to carry his bed on the Sabbath, provoking controversy.

Supported by Matthew Poole