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But 1the 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 2pray.
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Oneday He was teaching; and 3there were some Pharisees and 4teachers of the lawsitting there, who had 5come from everyvillage of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and 6the power of the Lord was present for Him to performhealing.
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7And 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 8the roof and let him down9through 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, 10your sins are forgiven you."
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The scribes and the Pharisees11began to reason, saying, "12Who is this man whospeaksblasphemies? 13Whocanforgivesins, 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 14paralytic - "I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and gohome."
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Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and wenthome15glorifyingGod.