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The same was true of Simon's partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."
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They pulled the boats up on the beach, left everything, and followed Jesus.
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Once Jesus was in a town where there was a man who was suffering from a dreaded skin disease. When he saw Jesus, he threw himself down and begged him, "Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean!"
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Jesus reached out and touched him. "I do want to," he answered. "Be clean!" At once the disease left the man.
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Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice as Moses ordered."
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But the news about Jesus spread all the more widely, and crowds of people came to hear him and be healed from their diseases.
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But he would go away to lonely places, where he prayed.
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One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of the Law were sitting there who had come from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick.
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Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a bed, and they tried to carry him into the house and put him in front of Jesus.
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Because of the crowd, however, they could find no way to take him in. So they carried him up on the roof, made an opening in the tiles, and let him down on his bed into the middle of the group in front of Jesus.
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When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, "Your sins are forgiven, my friend."
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The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who speaks such blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!"
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Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Why do you think such things?
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Is it easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, "Get up 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, "I tell you, get up, pick up your bed, and go home!"
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At once the man got up in front of them all, took the bed he had been lying on, and went home, praising God.
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They were all completely amazed! Full of fear, they praised God, saying, "What marvelous things we have seen today!"
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After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me."
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Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
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Then Levi had a big feast in his house for Jesus, and among the guests was a large number of tax collectors and other people.
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Some Pharisees and some teachers of the Law who belonged to their group complained to Jesus' disciples. "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other outcasts?" they asked.
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