1And after some days, He again entered into Capernaum, and it was reported that He was in the house. 2And immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer any room, not even at the door; and He preached the Word to them. 3Then they came to Him, bringing a paraplegic borne by four men. 4And since they were not able to come near to Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was; and after breaking it open, they let down the stretcher on which the paraplegic was lying. 5Now when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paraplegic, "Child, your sins have been forgiven you." 6But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7"Why does this man speak such blasphemies? Who has the power to forgive sins, except one, and that is God?" 8And Jesus immediately knew in His spirit what they were reasoning within themselves, and said to them, "Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paraplegic, 'Your sins have been forgiven you'? or to say, 'Arise, and take up your stretcher and walk'? 10But in order that you may understand that the Son of man has authority on the earth to forgive sins," He said to the paraplegic, 11"I say to you, arise and pick up your stretcher, and go to your house." 12And immediately he arose and, after picking up his stretcher, went out in the presence of them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen the like!"

13Then He went by the sea again; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.

14Now as He was passing by, He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, "Follow Me." And he arose and followed Him.

15And it came to pass that, when He sat down to eat in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16But when the scribes and the Pharisees saw Him eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "Why is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?" 17And after hearing this, Jesus said to them, "Those who are strong do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

18Now the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" 19And Jesus said to them, "Can the children of the bridal chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they are not able to fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then shall they fast in those days.

21And no one sews a piece of new cloth onto an old garment; otherwise the new piece filling up the hole tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made. 22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine bursts the old wineskins, and the wine spills out, and the wineskins are destroyed; but new wine must be put into new wineskins."

23Now it came to pass that He went through the grain fields on the Sabbaths; and as His disciples made their way through the fields, they were picking and eating the grain. 24Then the Pharisees said to Him, "Look at them! Why are they doing that which is not lawful on the Sabbaths?" 25And He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was hungry and in need of food, he and those with him? 26How in the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered into the house of God and he ate the showbread, which it is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?" 27And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; 28Therefore, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath."