Luke 5:12-28

12While he was in one of the towns, a man was there who had leprosy all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

13Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the leprosy left him.

14Then he ordered him to tell no one: “But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing as a testimony to them.”

15But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

16Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.

17On one of those days while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem. And the Lord’s power to heal was in him.

18Just then some men came, carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and set him down before him.

19Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.

20Seeing their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

21Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts?

23Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

24But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”  — he told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.”

25Immediately he got up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

26Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

27After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.”

28So, leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow him.