18. Just then some men showed up, carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to bring him in and place him before Jesus.
19. But since they found no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the roof tiles right in front of Jesus.
20. When Jesus saw their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21. Then the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to think to themselves, “Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22. When Jesus perceived their hostile thoughts, he said to them, “Why are you raising objections within yourselves?
23. Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?
24. But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralyzed man – “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home.”
25. Immediately he stood up before them, picked up the stretcher he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.
26. Then astonishment seized them all, and they glorified God. They were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen incredible things today.”
27. After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him.
28. And he got up and followed him, leaving everything behind.
29. Then Levi gave a great banquet in his house for Jesus, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them.