Codex Zacynthius 31v

of others. But someone might say that it was an open courtyard area into which they lowered
the bed of the paralysed man through the tiles, and they did not dismantle any of the roof at
all.❧
He says “Who is this who is speaking blasphemies?” But, Pharisee, you would not have said this
about him if you knew the divine scriptures, if you remembered the words of the prophets,
if you understood the august and great mystery of the incarnation. They surround him
with charges of blasphemy, determining the ultimate condemnation for him
and decreeing his death. For the law given through Moses commanded

that the one who
spoke evil against God.
should undergo death.
But when they had
dared to do this,
he shows right
away that he is
God, so that again
he may condemn them
for intolerable impiety.
For he says, “What do
you debate in your
hearts?” Therefore
Pharisee, when you
say “Who can
forgive sins except

but finding no way to bring
him in because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof and
let him down with his bed
through the tiles into the middle of the
crowd before Jesus. When he saw
their faith, he said, ‘Friend,
your sins are forgiven you.’
Then the scribes and
the Pharisees began
to question,

the one God?” I ask you in turn, ‘Who can know hearts, and perceive the thoughts
in the depth of the intellect, except God alone? For he himself says somewhere, by the
voice of the prophets that “I am the Lord who searches hearts and examines the internal
organs.” ’ David also says somewhere, about both him and us, “The one who fashioned their
hearts one by one.” Therefore the one who as God knows hearts and internal organs is
is the one who as God even forgives sins.❧