Christ heals a paralytic. Calls sinners to repentance. Explains and justifies the conduct of His disciples regarding fasting and the Sabbath day

1 And after some days He entered Capernaum again, and it was reported that He was at home. 2 And many gathered, so that there was no longer room even near the door, and He was preaching the word to them. 3 They came to Him, bringing a paralyzed man, whom four men were carrying. 4 And when, because of the crowd, they could not come near Him, they removed the roof above where He was, and after making an opening, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. 5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you”. 6 Some of the scribes who were sitting there were reasoning in their hearts. 7 “What blasphemy is this that He is speaking? Who can forgive sins except God alone?” 8 Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way in their heart, and He said, “Why are you thinking these things in your heart. 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take up your mat, and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then He said to the paralytic. 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your mat, and go to your home.” 12 The paralytic got up and immediately, taking up his mat, went out before everyone, so that all were amazed, gave glory to God, and said, “We have never seen anything like this.” 13 And again He went out by the lakeshore, and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them. 14 And as He was passing by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Come after Me.” And he got up and went after Him. 15 When Jesus sat at the table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat at the table with Jesus and his disciples, because many were following him. 16 And when the scribes and the Pharisees saw that He was eating with tax collectors and sinners, they were saying to His disciples, “Why does He eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard this, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I also have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 18 And the disciples of John and 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?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the sons of the wedding feast fast while the Bridegroom is with them? As long as the Bridegroom is with them, they cannot fast.” 20 But days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and in those days they will fast. 21 No one sews a piece of new, unshrunk cloth onto an old garment. otherwise the new patch will tear away completely from the old garment, and the tear will be worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. otherwise the new wine will tear the wineskins, and the wine will be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” 23 One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields. As they were going, His disciples began to pluck heads of grain and eat. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, what are Your disciples doing on the Sabbath that is against the Law?” 25 And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and became hungry, he and those who were with him? 26 How did he enter the house of God in the days of Abiathar the High Priest and eat the Bread of the Presence, and also give it to those who were with him, though it was not lawful to eat it except for the priests?” 27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”