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¹ Some time after he returned to Capernaum; upon the rumour that he was there, ² so great a company assembled, that there was no room for them in the house, nor even about the door: and he preached the word unto them. ³ then they came and presented to him a paralytic, who had four men to carry him. ⁴ who finding it impossible to come nigh Him because of the press, uncovered the roof where He was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the cradle wherein the paralytic lay. ⁵ Jesus perceiving their faith, said to the sick of the palsy, son, thy sins are forgiven. ⁶ but there were certain of the Scribes sitting there, who were dissatisfied in their own minds, and said to themselves, ⁷ why doth this man speak such blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God? ⁸ and immediately Jesus perceiving by his spirit, that they made these secret reflections, said, why do you entertain such suggestions? ⁹ is it not as easy to say to the paralytic, thy sins are forgiven: as to say, arise, and take up your bed and walk? ¹⁰ however, to let you see that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, rise, said he, to the sick of the palsy, ¹¹ 'tis I command you, take up thy bed, and go to your home. ¹² instantly he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, we never saw any thing like this.

¹³ Another time as he was by the sea-side, the people came all crowding to him, and he instructed them. ¹⁴ as he passed along, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus, sitting at the custom-house, and said to him, follow me. accordingly he arose and followed him. ¹⁵ at length as Jesus sat at table in Levi's house, several publicans and loose people sat down likewise in company with Jesus, and his disciples: for a good number of them had followed him. ¹⁶ when the Scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with such a crew, they ask'd his disciples, what's the meaning that he is so familiar with people of such a wretched character? ¹⁷ Jesus hearing this, said to them, they that are in health, have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

¹⁸ It was customary for the Pharisees, and the disciples of John, to fast; they came therefore and ask'd him, why do John's disciples, and the Pharisees fast so frequently, and not your disciples? ¹⁹ Jesus answered, can the bridemen fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ but the time will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast. ²¹ indeed no man ever sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment: because the new piece that is patch'd on, draws the old, and rends it still worse. ²² so no man pours new wine into old skins, for that would burst them, and then both would be lost: but new wine must be put into new skins. ²³ Another time, as he was going through the corn-fields on the sabbath-day, his disciples as they pass'd along began to pluck the ears of corn. ²⁴ upon which the Pharisees said to him, pray observe how they trespass on the sabbath-day. ²⁵ but he replied, have ye never read what David, and the rest of the company did, when they were press'd with hunger? ²⁶ how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar, who was afterwards high-priest, and did eat the shew-bread, giving some of it likewise to the company, though the law allow'd no body to eat of it but the priests. ²⁷ adding this observation, "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." ²⁸ therefore the son of man has a power of dispensing with the law of the sabbath.