121While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a mancovered with leprosy; and when he sawJesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You canmake me clean."
13
And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I amwilling; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosyleft him.
14
And He ordered him to tellnoone, "But go and 2showyourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Mosescommanded, as a testimony to them."
15
But 3the newsabout Him was spreadingevenfarther, and largecrowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16
But Jesus Himself would often slipaway to the wilderness and 4pray.
17
Oneday He was teaching; and 5there were some Pharisees and 6teachers of the lawsitting there, who had 7come from everyvillage of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and 8the power of the Lord was present for Him to performhealing.
18
9And 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.
19
But not findingany way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on 10the roof and let him down11through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.
20
Seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, 12your sins are forgiven you."
21
The scribes and the Pharisees13began to reason, saying, "14Who is this man whospeaksblasphemies? 15Whocanforgivesins, but Godalone?"
22
But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
23
"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk '?
24
"But, so that you may know that the Son of Manhasauthority on earth to forgivesins,"-He said to the 16paralytic - "I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and gohome."
25
Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and wenthome17glorifyingGod.
26
They were allstruck with astonishment and began 18glorifyingGod; and they were filled19with fear, saying, "We have seenremarkablethingstoday."
Call of Levi (Matthew)
2720After that He went out and noticed a taxcollectornamed21Levisitting in the taxbooth, and He said to him, "Follow Me."
28
And he 22lefteverythingbehind, and got up and began to follow Him.
29
And 23Levigave a bigreception for Him in his house; and there was a greatcrowd of 24taxcollectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.
30
25The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why* do you eat and drink with the taxcollectors and sinners?"
31
And Jesusanswered and said to them, "26It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.
32
"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
33
And they said to Him, "27The disciples of Johnoftenfast and offerprayers, the disciples of the Phariseesalso do the same, but Yourseat and drink."
34
And Jesussaid to them, "You cannot*make the attendants of the bridegroomfastwhile* the bridegroom is with them, can you?
35
"28But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is takenaway from them, then they will fast in thosedays."
36
And He was alsotelling them a parable: "Noonetears a piece of cloth from a newgarment and puts it on an oldgarment; otherwise he will bothtear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.
37
"And nooneputsnewwine into oldwineskins; otherwise the newwine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.