14. Jesus ordered him not to tell anyone. "Instead," Jesus said, "go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses instructed. This will be a testimony to them."
15. News of him spread even more and huge crowds gathered to listen and to be healed from their illnesses.
16. But Jesus would withdraw to deserted places for prayer.
17. One day when Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and legal experts were sitting nearby. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. Now the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal.
18. Some men were bringing a man who was paralyzed, lying on a cot. They wanted to carry him in and place him before Jesus,
19. but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they took him up on the roof and lowered him—cot and all—through the roof tiles into the crowded room in front of Jesus.
20. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
21. The legal experts and Pharisees began to mutter among themselves, "Who is this who insults God? Only God can forgive sins!"
22. Jesus recognized what they were discussing and responded, "Why do you fill your minds with these questions?