8. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
9. For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him,
10. and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
11. When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
12. Now there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where he was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
13. Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately.
14. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
15. The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments,
16. but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
17. One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing.
18. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set [him] in his presence.
19. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.
20. When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”
21. Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
22. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts?