Matthew 9:4-14

4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?

6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

7 And the man jumped up and went home!

8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.

11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum? ”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”

13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”