New International Version NIV
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
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A few days later, Jesus entered Capernaum again. The people heard that he had come home.
2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
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So many people gathered that there was no room left. There was not even room outside the door. And Jesus preached the word to them.
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.
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Four of those who came were carrying a man who could not walk.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.
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But they could not get him close to Jesus because of the crowd. So they made a hole in the roof above Jesus. Then they lowered the man through it on a mat.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
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Jesus saw their faith. So he said to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
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Some teachers of the law were sitting there. They were thinking,
7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
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"Why is this fellow talking like that? He's saying a very evil thing! Only God can forgive sins!"
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
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Right away Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
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Is it easier to say to this man, 'Your sins are forgiven'? Or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man,
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I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus spoke to the man who could not walk.
11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
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"I tell you," he said, "get up. Take your mat and go home."
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
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The man got up and took his mat. Then he walked away while everyone watched. All the people were amazed. They praised God and said, "We have never seen anything like this!"
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.
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Once again Jesus went out beside the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd came to him. He began to teach them.
14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
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As he walked along he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him. Levi got up and followed him.
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
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Later Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples. They were part of the large crowd following Jesus.
16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
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Some teachers of the law who were Pharisees were there. They saw Jesus eating with "sinners" and tax collectors. So they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
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Jesus heard that. So he said to them, "Those who are healthy don't need a doctor. Sick people do. I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me."
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
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John's disciples and the Pharisees were going without eating. Some people came to Jesus. They said to him, "John's disciples are fasting. The disciples of the Pharisees are also fasting. But your disciples are not. Why aren't they?"
19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them.
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Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the groom go without eating while he is with them? They will not fast as long as he is with them.
20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
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But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. On that day they will go without eating.
21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse.
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"People don't sew a patch of new cloth on old clothes. If they do, the new piece will pull away from the old. That will make the tear worse.
22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
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People don't pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the wine will burst the skins. Then the wine and the wineskins will both be destroyed. No, everyone pours new wine into new wineskins."
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
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One Sabbath day Jesus was walking with his disciples through the grainfields. The disciples began to break off some heads of grain.
24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
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The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath. Why are your disciples doing it?"
25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?
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He answered, "Haven't you ever read about what David did? He and his men were hungry. They needed food.
26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
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It was when Abiathar was high priest. David entered the house of God and ate the holy bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it. David also gave some to his men."
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
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Then Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath day was made for man. Man was not made for the Sabbath day.
28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
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So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.