⁶ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

9 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to ^(A)his own city. ^2 (B)And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus ^(C)saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ^(D)“Take heart, my son; ^(E)your sins are forgiven.” ³ And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, ^(F)“This man is blaspheming.” ⁴ But Jesus, ^(G)knowing^[a] their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? ⁶ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” ⁷ And he rose and went home. ⁸ When the crowds saw it, ^(H)they were afraid, and ^(I)they glorified God, who had ^(J)given such authority to men.

^3 (A)And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, ^(B)they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus ^(C)saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, ^(D)your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? ^(E)He is blaspheming! ^(F)Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, ^(G)perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that ^(H)the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and ^(I)glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Jesus Calls Matthew

^9 (A)As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called ^(B)Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

¹⁰ And as Jesus^[a] reclined at table in the house, behold, many ^(C)tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ^(D)“Why does your teacher eat with ^(E)tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn ^(F)what this means: ^(G)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For ^(H)I came not to call the righteous, ^(I)but sinners.”

A Question About Fasting

¹⁴ Then ^(J)the disciples of John came to him, saying, ^(K)“Why do we and ^(L)the Pharisees fast,^[b] but your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, ^(M)“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? ^(N)The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and ^(O)then they will fast. ¹⁶ No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. ¹⁷ Neither is new wine put into old ^(P)wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

¹² But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn ^(A)what this means: ^(B)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For ^(C)I came not to call the righteous, ^(D)but sinners.”

^19 (A)Go therefore and ^(B)make disciples of ^(C)all nations, ^(D)baptizing them ^(E)in^{[a] (F)}the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them ^(G)to observe all that ^(H)I have commanded you. And behold, ^(I)I am with you always, to ^(J)the end of the age.”

^14 (A)I have given them your word, and ^(B)the world has hated them ^(C)because they are not of the world, ^(D)just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I ^(E)do not ask that you ^(F)take them out of the world, but that you ^(G)keep them from ^(H)the evil one.^{[a] 16 (I)}They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ^17 (J)Sanctify them^[b] in the truth; ^(K)your word is truth. ^18 (L)As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And ^(M)for their sake ^(N)I consecrate myself,^[c] that they also ^(O)may be sanctified^[d] in truth.

¹³ Now ^(A)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ^14 (B)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. ^(C)Have no fear of them, ^(D)nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but ^(E)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ^(F)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and ^(G)respect, ^16 (H)having a good conscience, so that, ^(I)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For ^(J)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.