He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

Some teachers of the Law who were sitting there thought to themselves,

"How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!"

For from the inside, from your heart, come the evil ideas which lead you to do immoral things, to rob, kill,

The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who speaks such blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!"

When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, "If this man really were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives!"

Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Yes, Teacher," he said, "tell me."

At this the High Priest tore his clothes and said, "Blasphemy! We don't need any more witnesses! You have just heard his blasphemy!

and be put to death. Any Israelite or any foreigner living in Israel who curses the LORD shall be stoned to death by the whole community.

You heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" They all voted against him: he was guilty and should be put to death.

They answered, "We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!"

We know that what the scripture says is true forever; and God called those people gods, the people to whom his message was given.

So they bribed some men to say, "We heard him speaking against Moses and against God!"

Then they brought in some men to tell lies about him. "This man," they said, "is always talking against our sacred Temple and the Law of Moses.