9
Which is easier?--to say to this paralytic, `Your sins are pardoned,' or to say, `Rise, take up your mat, and walk?'
10
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins" --He turned to the paralytic, and said,
11
"To you I say, `Rise, take up your mat and go home.'"
12
The man rose, and immediately under the eyes of all took up his mat and went out, so that they were all filled with astonishment, gave the glory to God, and said, "We never saw anything like this."
13
Again He went out to the shore of the Lake, and the whole multitude kept coming to Him, and He taught them.
14
And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." So he rose and followed Him.
15
When He was sitting at table in Levi's house, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were at table with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many such who habitually followed Him.
16
But when the Scribes of the Pharisee sect saw Him eating with the sinners and the tax-gatherers, they said to His disciples, "He is eating and drinking with the tax-gatherers and sinners!"
17
Jesus heard the words, and He said, "It is not the healthy who require a doctor, but the sick: I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."
18
(Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.) And they came and asked Him, "How is it that John's disciples and those of the Pharisees are fasting, and yours are not?"
19
"Can a wedding party fast while the bridegroom is among them?" replied Jesus. "So long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is impossible.