1Several days later Jesus returned to Capernaum. The word spread that he was home. 2So many people gathered that there was no room left even by the door. Jesus was speaking God’s word to them. 3Men came to him carrying a paralyzed man. 4They could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd. So they removed the roof over the place where Jesus was. Then they lowered the cot on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he told the man: »Friend your sins are forgiven.« 6Some of the scribes sitting there reasoned in their hearts: 7»Why does this man speak this way? He blasphemes for only God is the one who can forgive sins.« 8Jesus immediately discerned in his spirit that they reasoned within themselves. He asked them: »Why reason these things in your hearts? 9»Which is easier to say to the sick man your sins are forgiven or take your bed and walk? 10»So you may see that the Son of man has authority to forgive sins on earth,« he said to the man: 11»Get up and take your bed, and go to your house.« 12He got up, took the bed and went out before them all. They were all filled with wonder. They gave glory to God and said we have never seen anything like this. 13Again he went to the seaside and all the people followed him. So he taught them. 14He saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, seated at the place where taxes were collected. He said to him: »Come with me.« And he got up and went with him. 15He was reclining at the meal in his house. Several tax collectors and sinners were at the table with Jesus and his disciples. There were a great number of them, and they came after him. 16When the scribes of the Pharisees saw he was eating with the tax collectors and sinners they asked his disciples: »Why does he take food and drink with such men?« 17Jesus heard this. He said to them: »Those who are well have no need of a medical man but those who are ill do. I have come to care for sinners not the upright.« 18John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. They came to him and asked: »Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast but your disciples do not?« 19Jesus replied: »Will the friends of a newly married man practice fasting while he is with them? As long as they have him with them they will not go without food. 20»But the days will come when the husband will be taken away from them. Then they will fast. 21»No man puts a patch of new cloth on an old coat. The new, by pulling away from the old, makes a worse hole. 22»No man puts new wine into old wineskins. The skins will burst and the wine and the skins will be wasted. New wine has to be put into new wine skins.« 23Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath day. While they walked his disciples took the heads of grain. 24The Pharisees said: »Why are they doing what it is not right to do on the Sabbath?« 25He said: »Do you not know of what David did when he needed food for himself and his companions? 26»He went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest. David took the holy bread for food and gave to his companions. Only the priests may take the holy bread. 27»The Sabbath was made for man, said Jesus, and not man for the Sabbath. 28»The Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.«