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And He ordered him to tellnoone, "But go and 1showyourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Mosescommanded, as a testimony to them."
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But 2the newsabout Him was spreadingevenfarther, and largecrowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
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But Jesus Himself would often slipaway to the wilderness and 3pray.
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Oneday He was teaching; and 4there were some Pharisees and 5teachers of the lawsitting there, who had 6come from everyvillage of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and 7the power of the Lord was present for Him to performhealing.
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8And some men were carrying on a bed a manwho was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.
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But not findingany way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on 9the roof and let him down10through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.
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Seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, 11your sins are forgiven you."
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The scribes and the Pharisees12began to reason, saying, "13Who is this man whospeaksblasphemies? 14Whocanforgivesins, but Godalone?"
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But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
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"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk '?
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"But, so that you may know that the Son of Manhasauthority on earth to forgivesins,"-He said to the 15paralytic - "I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and gohome."