6
But there were certain of the scribes seated there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7
Why does this man say such things? he has no respect for God: from whom does forgiveness come but from God only?
8
And Jesus, having knowledge in his spirit of their thoughts, said to them, Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?
9
Which is the simpler, to say to a man who is ill, You have forgiveness for your sins, or, Get up, take up your bed, and go?
10
But so that you may see that the Son of man has authority for the forgiveness of sins on earth, (he said to the man,)
11
I say to you, Get up, take up your bed, and go to your house.
12
And he got up, and straight away took up the bed and went out before them all, so that they were all full of wonder, and gave glory to God, saying, We have never seen anything like this.
13
And he went out again by the seaside; and all the people came to him, and he gave them teaching.
14
And when he went by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, seated at the place where taxes were taken, and he said to him, Come with me. And he got up, and went with him.
15
And it came about that he was seated at meat in his house, and a number of tax-farmers and sinners were at table with Jesus and his disciples: for there were a great number of them, and they came after him.
16
And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was taking food with the tax-farmers and sinners, said to his disciples, Why does he take food and drink with such men?