Luke 5
Expanded Bible
Jesus’ First Followers
5 One day while Jesus was standing beside ·Lake Galilee [L the Lake of Gennesaret; C another name for the Sea of Galilee], many people were ·pressing [crowding] all around him to hear the word of God. 2 Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon [C Peter], and asked him to push off a little from the ·land [shore]. Then Jesus sat down and continued to teach the people from the boat.
4 When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and ·put [let down] your nets in the water to catch some fish.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we ·worked [labored] hard all night trying to catch fish, and we caught nothing. But ·you say [because you say; L upon your word] to put the nets in the water, so I will.” 6 When the fishermen did as Jesus told them, they caught so many fish that the nets began to ·break [tear]. 7 They ·called [signaled; motioned] to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they were almost sinking.
8 When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he bowed down ·before [L at the knees of] Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” 9 [L For] He and the other fishermen were amazed at the many fish they caught, as were 10 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will ·fish for people [catch people; T be fishers of men].” 11 When the men brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Jesus Heals a Sick Man(A)
12 When Jesus was in one of the towns, there was a man covered with ·a skin disease [T leprosy; C the term does not refer to modern leprosy (Hansen’s disease), but to various skin disorders; see Lev. 14]. When he saw Jesus, he ·bowed [L fell on his face] before him and ·begged [implored] him, “Lord, you can ·heal me [L make me clean; C such skin disorders rendered the victim ceremonially unclean] if you ·will [choose; are willing].”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I ·will [do choose; am willing]. Be ·healed [L cleansed]!” Immediately the disease ·disappeared [left him]. 14 Then Jesus ·said [ordered; commanded], “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and ·show yourself to [be examined by] the priest [C only a priest could declare a person clean] and ·offer a gift [make an offering; offer the sacrifices] for your ·healing [cleansing], as Moses commanded [Lev. 14:1–32]. This will ·show the people [be a public testimony to; be evidence for] what I have done.”
15 But the news about Jesus spread even more. ·Many people [Great crowds] came to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses, 16 but Jesus often ·slipped away [withdrew] to ·be alone [desolate/lonely/wilderness places] so he could pray.
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man(B)
17 One day as Jesus was teaching the people, the Pharisees and teachers of the law from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem were there. ·The Lord was giving Jesus the power [L The power of the Lord was upon him] to heal people. 18 ·Just then [L And look/T behold], some men were carrying on a ·mat [cot; bed] a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and put him down before Jesus. 19 But because there were so many people there, they could not find a way in. So they went up on the roof and lowered the man on his ·mat [cot; bed] through the ·ceiling [L tiles] into the middle of the crowd right ·before [in front of] Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said, “·Friend [L Man], your sins are forgiven.”
21 The ·Jewish teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees ·thought to themselves [L began thinking/reasoning], “Who is this man who is speaking ·as if he were God [blasphemies]? ·Only God can forgive sins [L Who can forgive sins except God alone?; Is. 43:25].”
22 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why are you thinking these things [L in your hearts]? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 But ·I will prove to you [L so that you may know] that the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, stand up, take your ·mat [cot; bed], and go home.”
25 At once the man stood up before them, picked up ·his mat [L what he had been lying on], and went home, ·praising [glorifying] God. 26 All the people were ·fully amazed [astounded; astonished] and began to ·praise [glorify] God. They were filled with ·much respect [awe; fear] and said, “Today we have seen ·amazing [remarkable; incredible] things!”
Levi Follows Jesus(C)
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax collector’s booth [C probably a tariff booth for taxing goods in transit]. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Then Levi gave a ·big dinner [great banquet] for Jesus at his house. Many tax collectors and other people were ·eating there [L reclining; C around a low table, the posture for a formal banquet or dinner party], too. 30 But the Pharisees and ·the men who taught the law for the Pharisees [L their scribes] began to ·complain [grumble] to Jesus’ ·followers [disciples], “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [C Tax collectors were despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion.]
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to ·invite [call] ·good people [the righteous; C meaning the “self-righteous” who feel no need to repent] but sinners to ·change their hearts and lives [repentance].”
Jesus Answers a Question(D)
33 They said to Jesus, “John’s ·followers [disciples] often fast [C giving up eating for spiritual purposes] and pray, just as the ·Pharisees [or disciples of the Pharisees] do. But your ·followers [disciples] eat and drink all the time.”
34 Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the ·friends of the bridegroom [or wedding guests; L children of the wedding hall] fast while he is still with them. 35 But the ·time [L days] will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and ·then [L in those days] they will fast.”
36 Jesus told them this ·story [parable]: “No one ·takes [tears] cloth off a new ·coat [garment] to cover a hole in an old ·coat [garment]. If he does, he ·ruins [tears] the new ·coat [garment], and the cloth from the new will not match the old. 37 Also, no one pours new wine into old ·leather bags [wineskins]. Otherwise, the new wine will ·break [tear; burst; C because the fermenting new wine expands] the ·bags [wineskins], the wine will spill out, and the ·leather bags [wineskins] will be ruined. 38 [L But; Rather] New wine must be put into ·new [fresh] ·leather bags [wineskins]. 39 No one after drinking old wine wants new wine, because he says, ‘The old wine is ·better [fine; good].’” [C The religious leaders are content with the old ways of Judaism and not interested in the “new wine” (salvation blessings) of the Kingdom.]
Luke 5
International Standard Version
Jesus Calls His First Disciples(A)
5 One day, as the crowd was pressing in on him to listen to God’s word, Jesus[a] was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats lying on the shore, but the fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets. 3 So Jesus[b] got into one of the boats (the one that belonged to Simon) and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and began to teach the crowds from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he told Simon, “Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.” 6 After the men[c] had done this, they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats until the boats[d] began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, “Leave me, Lord! I am a sinful man!”— 9 because Simon[e] and all the people who were with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons and Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus told Simon, “Stop being afraid. From now on you will be catching people.” 11 So when they brought the boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.[f]
Jesus Cleanses a Leper(B)
12 One day, while Jesus[g] was in one of the cities, a man covered with leprosy saw Jesus and fell on his face, begging him, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
13 So Jesus[h] reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want to. Be clean!” Instantly the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus[i] ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as proof to the authorities.”[j] 15 But the news about Jesus[k] spread even more, and many crowds began gathering to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. 16 However, he continued his habit of retiring to deserted places and praying.
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man(C)
17 One day, as Jesus[l] was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of the Law happened to be sitting nearby. The people[m] had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was present to heal them.[n] 18 Some men were bringing a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to take him into the house[o] and place him in front of Jesus.[p] 19 When they couldn’t find a way to get him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on his stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the room,[q] right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus[r] saw their faith, he said, “Mister,[s] your sins are forgiven.”
21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to argue among themselves, saying, “Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, “Why are you arguing about this among yourselves?[t] 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But so you’ll know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” he told the paralyzed man, “I say to you: Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!” 25 So the man[u] immediately stood up in front of them and picked up what he had been lying on. Then he went home, praising God.
26 Amazement seized all the people, and they began to praise God. They were filled with fear[v] and declared, “We have seen wonderful things today!”
Jesus Calls Levi(D)
27 After that, Jesus[w] went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax collector’s desk. He told him, “Follow me!” 28 So Levi[x] left everything behind, got up, and followed him.
29 Later, Levi gave a large banquet at his home for Jesus.[y] A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes started complaining to Jesus’[z] disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 But Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but sick people do. 32 I have not come to call righteous people, but sinners, to repentance.”
A Question about Fasting(E)
33 Then they told him, “John’s disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do those of the Pharisees. But your disciples[aa] keep right on eating and drinking.”
34 But Jesus told them, “You can’t force the wedding guests[ab] to fast while the groom is still with them, can you? 35 But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and at that time they will fast.”
The Unshrunk Cloth(F)
36 Then he told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old garment. If he does, the new cloth will tear, and the piece from the new won’t match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will make the skins burst, the wine[ac] will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. 38 Instead, new wine is to be poured into fresh wineskins. 39 No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine, because he says, ‘The old wine is good enough!’”[ad]
Footnotes
- Luke 5:1 Lit. he
- Luke 5:3 Lit. he
- Luke 5:6 Lit. they
- Luke 5:7 Lit. they
- Luke 5:9 Lit. he
- Luke 5:11 Lit. him
- Luke 5:12 Lit. he
- Luke 5:13 Lit. he
- Luke 5:14 Lit. he
- Luke 5:14 Lit. to them
- Luke 5:15 Lit. him
- Luke 5:17 Lit. he
- Luke 5:17 Lit. They
- Luke 5:17 Other mss. read was present with him to heal
- Luke 5:18 The Gk. lacks the house
- Luke 5:18 Lit. him
- Luke 5:19 The Gk. lacks of the room
- Luke 5:20 Lit. he
- Luke 5:20 Lit. Man
- Luke 5:22 Lit. in your hearts
- Luke 5:25 Lit. he
- Luke 5:26 Or awe
- Luke 5:27 Lit. he
- Luke 5:28 Lit. he
- Luke 5:29 Lit. him
- Luke 5:30 Lit. his
- Luke 5:33 Lit. yours
- Luke 5:34 Lit. The children of the wedding hall; or The children of the groom
- Luke 5:37 Lit. it
- Luke 5:39 Other mss. lack this verse
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