And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straightly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him,
See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
But he went out, and began to publish it much,
and to blaze abroad the matter. And great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. And they came to him from every quarter. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy; which was borne of four. And they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, nigh unto him, because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let him down through the tiling with his couch wherein the sick of the palsy lay, into the midst before Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy,
Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason,
in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them,
Why reason ye these things? Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.