9
Which is easier to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Get up and pick up your stretcher and walk'?
10
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,"--he said to the paralytic--
11
"I say to you, get up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your home."
12
And he got up and immediately picked up his stretcher [and] went out in front of [them] all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen [anything] like this!"
Levi Called to Follow Jesus
13 And he went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he began to teach them.
14
And [as he] was passing by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me!" And he stood up [and] followed him.
15
And it happened that he {was dining} in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners {were dining with} Jesus and his disciples, for there were many and they were following him.
16
And the scribes of the Pharisees, [when they] saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, began to say to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
17
And [when] Jesus heard [it], he said to them, "Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those {who are sick}. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
On Fasting
18 And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and said to him, "{Why} do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
19
And Jesus said to them, "The {bridegroom's attendants} are not able to fast while the bridegroom is with them, [are they]? As long a time [as] they have the bridegroom with them, they are not able to fast.