diff --git a/jwt.go b/jwt.go
index 06995aa..d35aaa4 100644
--- a/jwt.go
+++ b/jwt.go
@@ -84,79 +84,7 @@ func (t *Token) SigningString() (string, error) {
 // keyFunc will receive the parsed token and should return the key for validating.
 // If everything is kosher, err will be nil
 func Parse(tokenString string, keyFunc Keyfunc) (*Token, error) {
-	parts := strings.Split(tokenString, ".")
-	if len(parts) != 3 {
-		return nil, &ValidationError{err: "token contains an invalid number of segments", Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
-	}
-
-	var err error
-	token := &Token{Raw: tokenString}
-	// parse Header
-	var headerBytes []byte
-	if headerBytes, err = DecodeSegment(parts[0]); err != nil {
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
-	}
-	if err = json.Unmarshal(headerBytes, &token.Header); err != nil {
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
-	}
-
-	// parse Claims
-	var claimBytes []byte
-	if claimBytes, err = DecodeSegment(parts[1]); err != nil {
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
-	}
-	if err = json.Unmarshal(claimBytes, &token.Claims); err != nil {
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
-	}
-
-	// Lookup signature method
-	if method, ok := token.Header["alg"].(string); ok {
-		if token.Method = GetSigningMethod(method); token.Method == nil {
-			return token, &ValidationError{err: "signing method (alg) is unavailable.", Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
-		}
-	} else {
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: "signing method (alg) is unspecified.", Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
-	}
-
-	// Lookup key
-	var key interface{}
-	if keyFunc == nil {
-		// keyFunc was not provided.  short circuiting validation
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: "no Keyfunc was provided.", Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
-	}
-	if key, err = keyFunc(token); err != nil {
-		// keyFunc returned an error
-		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
-	}
-
-	// Check expiration times
-	vErr := &ValidationError{}
-	now := TimeFunc().Unix()
-	if exp, ok := token.Claims["exp"].(float64); ok {
-		if now > int64(exp) {
-			vErr.err = "token is expired"
-			vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorExpired
-		}
-	}
-	if nbf, ok := token.Claims["nbf"].(float64); ok {
-		if now < int64(nbf) {
-			vErr.err = "token is not valid yet"
-			vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorNotValidYet
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Perform validation
-	if err = token.Method.Verify(strings.Join(parts[0:2], "."), parts[2], key); err != nil {
-		vErr.err = err.Error()
-		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorSignatureInvalid
-	}
-
-	if vErr.valid() {
-		token.Valid = true
-		return token, nil
-	}
-
-	return token, vErr
+	return new(Parser).Parse(tokenString, keyFunc)
 }
 
 // Try to find the token in an http.Request.
diff --git a/parser.go b/parser.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c0a891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parser.go
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package jwt
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+type Parser struct {
+	ValidMethods  []string // If populated, only these methods will be considered valid
+	UseJSONNumber bool     // Use JSON Number format in JSON decoder
+}
+
+// Parse, validate, and return a token.
+// keyFunc will receive the parsed token and should return the key for validating.
+// If everything is kosher, err will be nil
+func (p *Parser) Parse(tokenString string, keyFunc Keyfunc) (*Token, error) {
+	parts := strings.Split(tokenString, ".")
+	if len(parts) != 3 {
+		return nil, &ValidationError{err: "token contains an invalid number of segments", Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
+	}
+
+	var err error
+	token := &Token{Raw: tokenString}
+	// parse Header
+	var headerBytes []byte
+	if headerBytes, err = DecodeSegment(parts[0]); err != nil {
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
+	}
+	if err = json.Unmarshal(headerBytes, &token.Header); err != nil {
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
+	}
+
+	// Verify signing method is in the required set
+	if p.ValidMethods != nil {
+		var signingMethodValid = false
+		var alg = token.Method.Alg()
+		for _, m := range p.ValidMethods {
+			if m == alg {
+				signingMethodValid = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !signingMethodValid {
+			return nil, &ValidationError{err: fmt.Sprintf("signing method %v is invalid", alg), Errors: ValidationErrorSignatureInvalid}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// parse Claims
+	var claimBytes []byte
+	if claimBytes, err = DecodeSegment(parts[1]); err != nil {
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
+	}
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewBuffer(claimBytes))
+	if p.UseJSONNumber {
+		dec.UseNumber()
+	}
+	if err = dec.Decode(&token.Claims); err != nil {
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorMalformed}
+	}
+
+	// Lookup signature method
+	if method, ok := token.Header["alg"].(string); ok {
+		if token.Method = GetSigningMethod(method); token.Method == nil {
+			return token, &ValidationError{err: "signing method (alg) is unavailable.", Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
+		}
+	} else {
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: "signing method (alg) is unspecified.", Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
+	}
+
+	// Lookup key
+	var key interface{}
+	if keyFunc == nil {
+		// keyFunc was not provided.  short circuiting validation
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: "no Keyfunc was provided.", Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
+	}
+	if key, err = keyFunc(token); err != nil {
+		// keyFunc returned an error
+		return token, &ValidationError{err: err.Error(), Errors: ValidationErrorUnverifiable}
+	}
+
+	// Check expiration times
+	vErr := &ValidationError{}
+	now := TimeFunc().Unix()
+	if exp, ok := token.Claims["exp"].(float64); ok {
+		if now > int64(exp) {
+			vErr.err = "token is expired"
+			vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorExpired
+		}
+	}
+	if nbf, ok := token.Claims["nbf"].(float64); ok {
+		if now < int64(nbf) {
+			vErr.err = "token is not valid yet"
+			vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorNotValidYet
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Perform validation
+	if err = token.Method.Verify(strings.Join(parts[0:2], "."), parts[2], key); err != nil {
+		vErr.err = err.Error()
+		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorSignatureInvalid
+	}
+
+	if vErr.valid() {
+		token.Valid = true
+		return token, nil
+	}
+
+	return token, vErr
+}