Mark 2:18–3:6

A Question about Fasting

18 Now y John’s z disciples a and the Pharisees b c were fasting. d People came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests e cannot fast while the groom f is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the time g will come h when the groom is taken away from them, i and then they will fast j in that day. 21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth, k and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine l into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst m the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. n But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Lord of the Sabbath

23 On o the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples p began to make their way picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees q said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful r on the Sabbath?”

25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David s and those who were with him did when he was in need t and hungry u— 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar v the high priest w and ate the * sacred bread x—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests y—and also gave some to his companions?” 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for z man and not man for a the Sabbath. b 28 Therefore, the Son of Man c is Lord d even of the Sabbath.” e

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

3 Now f He entered the * synagogue g again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed h hand. 2 In order to accuse i Him, they were watching Him closely j to see whether He would heal k him on the Sabbath. l 3 He told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand before us.” m 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful n on the Sabbath to do what is good o or to do what is evil, p to save life q or to kill?” r But they were silent. s 5 After looking around at them with anger t and sorrow at the hardness u of their hearts, He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. v 6 Immediately the * Pharisees w went out and started plotting x with the * Herodians y against Him, how they might destroy z Him.