Crowds Follow Jesus^(A)

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.^{(B) 8} When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.^{(C) 9} Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many,^(D) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.^{(E) 11} Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”^{(F) 12} But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.^(G)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man^(A)

¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law^(B) were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.^{(C) 18} Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. ¹⁹ When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”^(D)

²¹ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”^(E)

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But I want you to know that the Son of Man^(F) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ²⁵ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.^(G) They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”