Lectio Divina

October 23, 2020

Mark 2:1-12

The Voice Translation

^1-2 Some days later when Jesus came back to Capernaum, people heard that Jesus was back in town and many gathered at the house where He was staying. Soon the crowd overflowed from the house into the streets, and still more people pressed forward to hear Jesus teaching the message of God’s kingdom. ³ Four men tried to bring a crippled friend to Him; ⁴ but since the crowd prevented their carrying him close enough to get Jesus’ attention, they climbed up onto the roof, opened a hole in it, and lowered the paralyzed man on his mat down to Jesus.

⁵ Jesus recognized the faith of these men.

Jesus (to the paralyzed man): Son, your sins are forgiven.

^6-7 Some scribes were sitting in the crowd, and they didn’t like what they were hearing.

Scribes (reasoning to themselves): What does this Jesus think He is doing? This kind of talk is blasphemy, an offense against the Most High! Only God can forgive sins.

⁸ At once Jesus realized what they were thinking. He turned to them.

Jesus: Why do My words trouble you so? ⁹ Think about this: is it easier to tell this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to tell him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk”? ¹⁰ Still, I want to show you that the Son of Man has been given the authority on earth to forgive sins. (to the paralytic) ¹¹ Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.

¹² The man rose to his feet, immediately rolled up his mat, and walked out into the streets. Everyone in the crowd was amazed. All they could do was shake their heads, thank God for this miracle, and say to each other, “We’ve never seen anything like that!”