4
And when they could not get near him because of the crowd,
1they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
5
And when Jesus
2saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, âSon,
3your sins are forgiven. â
6
Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
7
âWhy does this man speak like that?
4He is blaspheming!
5Who can forgive sins but God alone? â
8
And immediately Jesus,
6perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, âWhy do you question these things in your hearts?
9
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, âYour sins are forgiven, â or to say, âRise, take up your bed and walkâ?
10
But that you may know that
7the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sinsââhe said to the paralyticâ
11
âI say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home. â
12
And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and
8glorified God, saying, âWe never saw anything like this! â
Jesus Calls Levi
13 He went out again beside the sea, and
9all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.
14
10And as he passed by, he saw
11Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, âFollow me. âAnd he rose and followed him.