Jesus Cleanses a Leper

¹²While he was in one of the cities, fthere came a man full of leprosy.2 And when he saw Jesus, he gfell on his face and begged him, “Lord, hif you will, you can make me clean.” ¹³And Jesus3 stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴And he charged him ito tell no one, but “go and show jyourself to the priest, and kmake an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, lfor a proof to them.” ¹⁵mBut now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. ¹⁶But nhe would withdraw to desolate places and npray.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

¹⁷On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and oteachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And pthe power of the Lord was with him to heal.4 ¹⁸qAnd behold, some men were bringing ron a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, ¹⁹but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on sthe roof and let him down with his bed tthrough the tiles into the midst before Jesus. ²⁰And uwhen he saw their faith, he said, “Man, vyour sins are forgiven you.” ²¹And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks wblasphemies? xWho can forgive sins but God alone?” ²²When Jesus yperceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? ²³Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? ²⁴But that you may know that zthe Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” ²⁵And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, aglorifying God. ²⁶And amazement seized them all, and they aglorified God and were filled awith awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Jesus Calls Levi

²⁷bAfter this he went out and saw ca tax collector named dLevi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” ²⁸And eleaving everything, he rose and followed him.

²⁹And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company fof tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. ³⁰And the Pharisees and gtheir scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, h“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³²iI have not come to call the righteous jbut sinners kto repentance.”

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