Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1 And when he returned to
1Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
2
And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.
3
2And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
4
And when they could not get near him because of the crowd,
3they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
5
And when Jesus
4saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Son, 5your sins are forgiven."
6
Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
7
"Why does this man speak like that?
6He is blaspheming!
7Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8
And immediately Jesus,
8perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them,
"Why do you question these things in your hearts?
9
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'?
10
But that you may know that 9the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic--
11
"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home."
12
And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and
10glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Jesus Calls Levi
13 He went out again beside the sea, and
11all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.
14
12And as he passed by, he saw
13Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him,
"Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
15
And as he reclined at table in his house, many
14tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
16
And
15the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples,
16"Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
17
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them,
"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 17I came not to call the righteous, 18but sinners."