Both Matthew and Luke have supplied their own introductions. Both substitute εἶπεν for Mark's λέγει (Mk ix, 5) (a correction which Luke invariably makes). Both use substitutes for Mark's κράβαττον. Luke avoids Jesus' address to the man as τέκνον. In the words of Jesus to his critics and to the paralytic, both follow Mark with general fidelity, and tho Mark's vss. 5_b_-10 appear to interrupt the story, both follow him in their inclusion of these verses. Luke's change of Mark's vs. 7 is a fine example of his ability to make an improvement in the sense with the least possible change in the wording. Mark reads, τί οὗτος οὕτως λαλεῖ; βλασφημεῖ· Luke changes to τίς ἐστιν ὃς λαλεῖ βλασφημίας; The latter fits much better into the question, "Who has power to forgive sins except God?" Mark has made Jesus, in his dispute with his critics, say "Which is easier, to say, ... or to say, rise, take up thy bed and walk?" Matthew and Luke make him leave out the clause "take up thy bed," reserving this for Jesus' actual address to the man a little later, whereas Mark uses it in both places. Luke heightens the effect of his story by saying "He took up that upon which he had been carried," instead of "he took up his bed." This may be a heightening of the contrast, or perhaps a hint that he did not know exactly what Mark's κράβαττον was, tho he has elsewhere replaced it by κλινίδιον.[24] THE CALLING OF LEVI (MATTHEW) (Mk ii, 13-17; Mt ix, 9-13; Lk v, 27-32) Matthew and Luke both correct Mark's unusual if not ungrammatical use of ὅτι in the sense of why. Mark says "Why does _he_ eat with publicans and sinners?" Matthew improves by reading, "Why does _your master_ eat," etc. Luke improves still more by directing the question to the disciples in such manner as to include Jesus, "Why do _ye_ eat," etc. THE QUESTION ABOUT FASTING (Mk ii, 18-22; Mt ix, 14-17; Lk v, 33-39) Matthew and Luke avoid Mark's verb ἐπιράπτει, a word found nowhere but in this verse of Mark's (ix, 21). At the end they avoid Mark's clumsy expression, "The wine and the bottles will be destroyed," and say, "The wine will be spilled and the bottles destroyed."[25] They both omit the last part of Mark's vs. 19, an obvious pleonasm and possibly a later insertion. Luke's addition in his vs. 39 does not fit well, but is bracketed by Westcott and Hort and is probably an insertion. More difficult (and so far as I see impossible) to explain is Luke's suggestion that the patch to be put on the old garment is cut out of a new one--an unusual procedure, certainly. He may possibly have been misled into this statement by his desire to heighten the contrast between old and new. THE WALK THRU THE CORN (Mk ii, 23-28; Mt xii, 1-8; Lk vi, 1-5)