9
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven, ’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?
10
But that you may know that
1the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
11
“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home. ”
12
And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and
2glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this! ”
Jesus Calls Levi
13 He went out again beside the sea, and
3all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.
14
4And as he passed by, he saw
5Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me. ”And he rose and followed him.
15
And as he reclined at table in his house, many
6tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
16
And
7the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples,
8“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? ”
17
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
9I came not to call the righteous,
10but sinners. ”
A Question About Fasting
18 Now
11John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him,
12“Why do John’s disciples and
13the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? ”
19
And Jesus said to them,
14“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.