6
Some teachers of the Law who were sitting there thought to themselves,
7
"How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!"
8
At once Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them, "Why do you think such things?
9
Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk'?
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I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man,
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"I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
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While they all watched, the man got up, picked up his mat, and hurried away. They were all completely amazed and praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
13
Jesus went back again to the shore of Lake Galilee. A crowd came to him, and he started teaching them.
14
As he walked along, he saw a tax collector, Levi son of Alphaeus, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.
15
Later on Jesus was having a meal in Levi's house. A large number of tax collectors and other outcasts was following Jesus, and many of them joined him and his disciples at the table.
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Some teachers of the Law, who were Pharisees, saw that Jesus was eating with these outcasts and tax collectors, so they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such people?"