Luke 5:12-28

12In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

13Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

14Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

15But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.

16But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

17One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.

18Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus,

19but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

21But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

22Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts?

23Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?

24So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

25And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.

26Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

27Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him.

28So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.