5. For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6. But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then He told the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
7. And he got up and went home.
8. When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God who had given such authority to men.
9. As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me! ” So he got up and followed Him.
10. While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples.
11. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? ”