9
"Which is easier, to say to the 1paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven '; or to say, 'Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk '?
10
"But so that you may know that the Son of Manhasauthority on earth to forgivesins "-He said to the paralytic,
11
"I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and gohome."
12
And he got up and immediatelypicked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were allamazed and 2were glorifyingGod, saying, "3We have neverseen anything likethis."
13
And He went out again by the seashore; and 4all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.
Levi (Matthew) Called
145As He passed by, He saw6Levi the son of Alphaeussitting in the taxbooth, and He said to him, "7Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him.
15
And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and manytaxcollectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him.
16
When 8the scribes of the Phariseessaw that He was eating with the sinners and taxcollectors, they said to His disciples, "9Why is He eating and drinking with taxcollectors and sinners?"
17
And hearing this, Jesussaid to them, "10It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
18
11John'sdisciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, "Why* do John'sdisciples and the disciples of the Phariseesfast, but Your disciples do not fast?"
19
And Jesussaid to them, "While* the bridegroom is with them, the attendants of the bridegroomcannotfast, can they? Solong as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot*fast.