and teachers of the Law sitting there who had come from
every village in Galilee and Judaea and from Jerusalem.
And the power of the Lord was present for Him to cure people.
005:018 And a party of men came carrying a palsied man on a bed,
and they endeavoured to bring him in and lay him before Jesus.
005:019 But when they could find no way of doing so because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiling--
bed and all--into the midst, in front of Jesus.
005:020 He saw their faith and said to him, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
005:021 Then the Scribes and Pharisees began to cavil, asking, "Who is this,
uttering blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
005:022 Well aware of their reasonings, Jesus answered their questions
by asking in turn, "What is this that you are debating
in your hearts?
005:023 Which is easier?--to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say,
`Rise and walk'?
005:024 But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on
earth to forgive sins"--Turning to the paralytic He said,
"I bid you, Rise, take up your bed, and go home."
005:025 Instantly he stood up in their presence, took up the mattress
on which he had been lying, and went away to his home,
giving glory to God.
005:026 Amazement seized them all. "Glory to God!" was the abiding feeling.
Yet fear flashed through their minds and they said, "We have
seen strange things to-day."
005:027 After this He went out and noticed a tax-gatherer, Levi by name,
sitting at the Toll office; and He said to him, "Follow me."
005:028 He rose, left everything, and followed Him.
005:029 Levi also gave a great entertainment at his house in honour
of Jesus, and there was a large party of tax-gatherers