1. After He had taught His disciples, they left together and went into the town, and there He entered the temple and began to teach.
2. All were amazed at his teachings, for He taught them as one who had authority and not as the legalists do.
3. Just then a man in the Church with an unclean spirit cried out to Jesus, "What business do we have with each other? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are; You are the Holy One of God!"
4. But Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying, "Be silent and come out of him." And throwing the man into convulsions and with a loud cry, the spirit came out of him.
5. All who witnessed the event were amazed and debated among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority so that even the unclean spirits obey Him?"
6. And thereafter the news about Jesus spread throughout the land.
7. After this, they came out of the temple and went to the house of Peter and Andrew, along with James. Peter's mother was lying sick with fever, so they spoke to Jesus about her.
8. And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them and the entire house.
9. After the sun had set, and darkness fell upon the land, they began bringing Him all who were ill and those who were demon possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door.
10. He healed many who were ill with different diseases and cast out many demons, and He did not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
11. For it was being said of Him, "He has taken away our infirmities and carried away our disease."
12. In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus arose, left the house and went away to a secluded place in the countryside and was praying there.
13. Peter and his companions searched for Him, and when they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."
14. And Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in the flesh I appeared to them. I found them all drunk, and I did not find any of them thirsty. My soul aches for the children of humanity, for they are blind in their hearts and do not see. They have come into the world empty, and they seek to depart from the world empty."
15. "But what of us?" Peter asked.
16. Jesus answered saying, "If they ask you where you came from, say to them, 'We have come from the Light, from the place where the Light came into being by Itself, established Itself, and appeared in our image.'
17. "If they ask you for proof of the Father in you, say to them, 'It is motion and rest.'"
18. Then Jesus said, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for this is what I came for."
19. And He went into the Church preaching and casting out demons, and a leper came to Him, beseeching Him, and falling to his knees before Him, saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."
20. With compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be clean."
21. Immediately the man's leprosy was cleansed.
22. And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but rather go and show yourself to the Pharisees and religious leaders and live among them as a clean man."
23. Now, when Jesus had returned to His hometown, several days later, it was heard that He was at home.
24. At that time, many gathered around His home, so that there was no longer any room, not even near the door, and He spoke to them.
25. But four men came bringing to Him a paralytic, but being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they cut a hole in the roof above Him, and when they had done so, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay until he was in front of Jesus.
26. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man on the stretcher, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."
27. But some of the religious leaders were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming against God. Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
28. And Jesus was aware in His spirit what they were reasoning in their hearts and said to them, "Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, 'Get up and walk,' or to say to him, 'Your sins are forgiven'?
29. "But so you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…" He turned to the paralytic and said, "Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home."
30. And he immediately picked up his stretcher and went out in front of everyone. And all were amazed and glorified God saying, "We have never seen this sort of thing before. Who knew that God had given such authority to men?"
31. Then Jesus left and went out by the seashore and all the people were coming to Him, and He taught them.
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