Mark 2
The Message (MSG)
A
Paraplegic
2 1-5
After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around
that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could
get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him,
carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they
removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed
by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your
sins.”
6-7 Some religion scholars sitting
there started whispering among themselves, “He can’t talk that way! That’s
blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.”
8-12 Jesus knew right away what
they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to
say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your
stretcher, and start walking’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man
and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic),
“Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed
his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed
their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything
like this!”
The Tax
Collector
13-14 Then Jesus went again to walk alongside the lake.
Again a crowd came to him, and he taught them. Strolling along, he saw Levi, son
of Alphaeus, at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” He
came.
15-16 Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having
supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than
a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him
keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: “What kind of example
is this, acting cozy with the riffraff?”
17 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the
healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the
spiritually-fit.”
Feasting or
Fasting?
18 The disciples of John and the
disciples of the Pharisees made a practice of fasting. Some people confronted
Jesus: “Why do the followers of John and the Pharisees take on the discipline of
fasting, but your followers don’t?”
19-20 Jesus said, “When you’re celebrating a wedding, you
don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your
belt, but not now. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good
time. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom
Come!”
21-22 He went on, “No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to
patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match. And you don’t put your wine
in cracked bottles.”
23-24 One Sabbath day he was walking through a field of
ripe grain. As his disciples made a path, they pulled off heads of grain. The
Pharisees told on them to Jesus: “Look, your disciples are breaking Sabbath
rules!”
25-28 Jesus said, “Really? Haven’t you ever read what
David did when he was hungry, along with those who were with him? How he entered
the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, with the Chief Priest Abiathar
right there watching—holy bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat—and
handed it out to his companions?” Then Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to
serve us; we weren’t made to serve the Sabbath. The Son of Man is no lackey to
the Sabbath. He’s in charge!”
The Message (MSG)
A
Paraplegic
2 1-5
After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around
that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could
get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him,
carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they
removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed
by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your
sins.”
6-7 Some religion scholars sitting
there started whispering among themselves, “He can’t talk that way! That’s
blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.”
8-12 Jesus knew right away what
they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to
say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your
stretcher, and start walking’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man
and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic),
“Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed
his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed
their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything
like this!”
The Tax
Collector
13-14 Then Jesus went again to walk alongside the lake.
Again a crowd came to him, and he taught them. Strolling along, he saw Levi, son
of Alphaeus, at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” He
came.
15-16 Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having
supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than
a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him
keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: “What kind of example
is this, acting cozy with the riffraff?”
17 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the
healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the
spiritually-fit.”
Feasting or
Fasting?
18 The disciples of John and the
disciples of the Pharisees made a practice of fasting. Some people confronted
Jesus: “Why do the followers of John and the Pharisees take on the discipline of
fasting, but your followers don’t?”
19-20 Jesus said, “When you’re celebrating a wedding, you
don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your
belt, but not now. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good
time. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom
Come!”
21-22 He went on, “No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to
patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match. And you don’t put your wine
in cracked bottles.”
23-24 One Sabbath day he was walking through a field of
ripe grain. As his disciples made a path, they pulled off heads of grain. The
Pharisees told on them to Jesus: “Look, your disciples are breaking Sabbath
rules!”
25-28 Jesus said, “Really? Haven’t you ever read what
David did when he was hungry, along with those who were with him? How he entered
the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, with the Chief Priest Abiathar
right there watching—holy bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat—and
handed it out to his companions?” Then Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to
serve us; we weren’t made to serve the Sabbath. The Son of Man is no lackey to
the Sabbath. He’s in charge!”