5. Simon replied, "Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets."
6. So they dropped the nets and their catch was so huge that their nets were splitting.
7. They signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They filled both boats so full that they were about to sink.
8. When Simon Peter saw the catch, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, "Leave me, Lord, for I’m a sinner!"
9. Peter and those with him were overcome with amazement because of the number of fish they caught.
10. James and John, Zebedee’s sons, were Simon’s partners and they were amazed too. Jesus said to Simon, "Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will be fishing for people."
11. As soon as they brought the boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.
12. Jesus was in one of the towns where there was also a man covered with a skin disease. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged, "Lord, if you want, you can make me clean."
13. Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do want to. Be clean." Instantly, the skin disease left him.
14. Jesus ordered him not to tell anyone. "Instead," Jesus said, "go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses instructed. This will be a testimony to them."
15. News of him spread even more and huge crowds gathered to listen and to be healed from their illnesses.
16. But Jesus would withdraw to deserted places for prayer.
17. One day when Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and legal experts were sitting nearby. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. Now the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal.
18. Some men were bringing a man who was paralyzed, lying on a cot. They wanted to carry him in and place him before Jesus,
19. but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they took him up on the roof and lowered him—cot and all—through the roof tiles into the crowded room in front of Jesus.
20. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
21. The legal experts and Pharisees began to mutter among themselves, "Who is this who insults God? Only God can forgive sins!"
22. Jesus recognized what they were discussing and responded, "Why do you fill your minds with these questions?
23. Which is easier—to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
24. But so that you will know that the Human One has authority on the earth to forgive sins" —Jesus now spoke to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, get up, take your cot, and go home."