Gospel Of Mark Lent Readings Day 3: Mark 2:1-12

This Bible passage forms part of our Lent reflections series on the gospel of Mark. We offer these gospel readings as an aid to your devotions, and invite you meet Jesus of Nazareth anew through these timeless texts. Featuring original music by Our Healing Space. Text taken from the World English Bible (public domain).

Transcript

When he entered again into Capernaum after some days,

It was heard that he was in the house.

Immediately many were gathered together so that there was no more room,

Not even around the door,

And he spoke the word to them.

Four people came,

Carrying a paralytic to him.

When they could not come near him for the crowd,

They removed the roof where he was.

When they had broken it up,

They let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.

Jesus,

Seeing their faith,

Said to the paralytic,

Son,

Your sins are forgiven you.

But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts.

Why does this man speak blasphemies like that?

Who can forgive sins but God alone?

Only Jesus,

Perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves,

Said to them,

Why do you reason these things in your hearts?

Which is easier,

To tell the paralytic your sins are forgiven,

Or to say,

Arise and take up your bed and walk?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

He said to the paralytic,

I tell you,

Arise,

Take up your mat and go to your house.

He arose and immediately took up the mat and went out in front of them all,

So that they were all amazed and glorified God saying we never saw anything like this.

Reviews

These short readings for Lent are a nice and inspiring way to start the day with inspiration of Jesus's teachings and healing practices. The reading resonated with me about the reasoning that we often do in our head to try understand things when facing experiences that we can only understand in our hearts.