¹Several days later Jesus came back to Capernaum. The report went out that he was home. ²Many people had gathered. There was no room left, even in front of the door. Jesus was speaking ⸤God’s⸥ word to them.

³Four men came to him carrying a paralyzed man. ⁴Since they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof over the place where Jesus was. Then they lowered the cot on which the paralyzed man was lying.

⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶Some experts in Moses’ Teachings were sitting there. They thought, ⁷“Why does he talk this way? He’s dishonoring God. Who besides God can forgive sins?”

⁸At once, Jesus knew inwardly what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why do you have these thoughts? ⁹Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your cot, and walk’? ¹⁰I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, ¹¹“I’m telling you to get up, pick up your cot, and go home!”

¹²The man got up, immediately picked up his cot, and walked away while everyone watched. Everyone was amazed and praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

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