20
And seeing their faith, he said,
Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22
But Jesus perceiving their reasonings, answered and said unto them,
Why reason ye in your hearts?
23
Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
24
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house.
25
And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
26
And amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.
27
And after these things he went forth, and beheld a publican, named Levi, sitting at the place of toll, and said unto him,
Follow me.
28
And he forsook all, and rose up and followed him.
29
And Levi made him a great feast in his house: and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them.
30
And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners?