17
And it came to pass, on one of the days, that he was teaching, and there were sitting by Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who were come out of every village of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was -- to heal them.
18
And lo, men bearing upon a couch a man, who hath been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before him,
19
and not having found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the house-top, through the tiles they let him down, with the little couch, into the midst before Jesus,
20
and he having seen their faith, said to him, `Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'
21
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, `Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?'
22
And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said unto them, `What reason ye in your hearts?
23
which is easier -- to say, Thy sins have been forgiven thee? or to say, Arise, and walk?
24
`And that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority upon the earth to forgive sins -- (he said to the one struck with palsy) -- I say to thee, Arise, and having taken up thy little couch, be going on to thy house.'
25
And presently having risen before them, having taken up [that] on which he was lying, he went away to his house, glorifying God,
26
and astonishment took all, and they were glorifying God, and were filled with fear, saying -- `We saw strange things to-day.'
27
And after these things he went forth, and beheld a tax-gatherer, by name Levi, sitting at the tax-office, and said to him, `Be following me;'