Friends lower a paralysed man through a roof, and Jesus forgives and heals him. He calls Levi, eats with sinners, and answers questions about fasting and the sabbath.
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days ; and it was noised that he was in the house .
2 And straightway many were gathered together , insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door : and he preached the word unto them .
3 And they come unto him , bringing one sick of the palsy , which was borne of four .
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press , they uncovered the roof where he was : and when they had broken it up , they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay .
5 When Jesus saw their faith , he said unto the sick of the palsy , Son , thy sins be forgiven thee .
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there , and reasoning in their hearts ,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies ? who can forgive sins but God only ?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves , he said unto them , Why reason ye these things in your hearts ?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy , Thy sins be forgiven thee ; or to say , Arise , and take up thy bed , and walk ?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins ,(he saith to the sick of the palsy ,)
11 I say unto thee , Arise , and take up thy bed , and go thy way into thine house .
12 And immediately he arose , took up the bed , and went forth before them all ; insomuch that they were all amazed , and glorified God , saying , We never saw it on this fashion .
13 And he went forth again by the sea side ; and all the multitude resorted unto him , and he taught them .
14 And as he passed by , he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom , and said unto him , Follow me . And he arose and followed him .
15 And it came to pass , that , as Jesus sat at meat in his house , many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples : for there were many , and they followed him .
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners , they said unto his disciples , How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners ?
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them , They that are whole have no need of the physician , but they that are sick : I came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance .
18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast : and they come and say unto him , Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast , but thy disciples fast not ?
19 And Jesus said unto them , Can the children of the bridechamber fast , while the bridegroom is with them ? as long as they have the bridegroom with them , they cannot fast .
20 But the days will come , when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them , and then shall they fast in those days .
21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment : else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old , and the rent is made worse .
22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles : else the new wine doth burst the bottles , and the wine is spilled , and the bottles will be marred : but new wine must be put into new bottles .
23 And it came to pass , that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day ; and his disciples began , as they went , to pluck the ears of corn .
24 And the Pharisees said unto him , Behold , why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful ?
25 And he said unto them , Have ye never read what David did , when he had need , and was an hungred , he , and they that were with him ?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest , and did eat the shewbread , which is not lawful to eat but for the priests , and gave also to them which were with him ?
27 And he said unto them , The sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath :
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath .