The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town.(A) Just then(B) some men[a] brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”(C)

At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!” (D)

Perceiving their thoughts,(E) Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?[b] For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” So he got up and went home. When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck[c][d] and gave glory(F) to God, who had given such authority to men.

The Call of Matthew

As Jesus went on from there,(G) he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.(H)

10 While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples.(I) 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (J)

12 Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick.(K) 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.[e](L) For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[f]

A Question about Fasting

14 Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” (M)

15 Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests[g] be sad while the groom is with them? The time[h] will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse. 17 And no one puts[i] new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed

18 As he was telling them these things,(N) suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died,[j] but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”(O) 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and followed(P) him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe,(Q) 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”[k](R)

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.”[l](S) And the woman was made well from that moment.[m]

23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.(T) 24 “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.”(U) And they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.(V) 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.(W)

Healing the Blind

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” (X)

28 When he entered the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe(Y) that I can do this?”

They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out.”(Z) 31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that whole area.

Driving Out a Demon

32 Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to him.(AA) 33 When the demon had been driven out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.”(AB)

The Lord of the Harvest

35 Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,(AC) and healing every[n] disease and every sickness.[o][p] 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected,(AD) like sheep without a shepherd.(AE) 37 Then he said to his disciples,(AF) “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

Footnotes

  1. 9:2 Lit then they
  2. 9:4 Or minds
  3. 9:8 Other mss read amazed
  4. 9:8 Lit afraid
  5. 9:13 Hs 6:6
  6. 9:13 Other mss add to repentance
  7. 9:15 Lit the sons of the bridal chamber
  8. 9:15 Lit days
  9. 9:17 Lit And they do not put
  10. 9:18 Lit daughter has now come to the end
  11. 9:21 Or be saved
  12. 9:22 Or has made you well
  13. 9:22 Lit hour
  14. 9:35 Or every kind of
  15. 9:35 Other mss add among the people
  16. 9:35 Or physical ailment

Jesus Forgives Sins(A)

Yeshua got into a boat, crossed the sea, and came to his own city. Some people brought him a paralyzed man on a stretcher.

When Yeshua saw their faith, he said to the man, “Cheer up, friend! Your sins are forgiven.”

Then some of the experts in Moses’ Teachings thought, “He’s dishonoring God.”

Yeshua knew what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking evil things? Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

So the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such authority to humans.

Jesus Chooses Matthew to Be a Disciple(B)

When Yeshua was leaving that place, he saw a man sitting in a tax office. The man’s name was Matthew. Yeshua said to him, “Follow me!” So Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later Yeshua was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Yeshua and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 When Yeshua heard that, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do. 13 Learn what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifices.’ I’ve come to call sinners, not people who think they have God’s approval.”

Jesus Is Questioned about Fasting(C)

14 Then John’s disciples came to Yeshua. They said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often but your disciples never do?”

15 Yeshua replied, “Can wedding guests be sad while the groom is still with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.

16 “No one patches an old coat with a new piece of cloth that will shrink. When the patch shrinks, it will rip away from the coat, and the tear will become worse. 17 Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, people pour new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved.”

A Synagogue Leader’s Daughter and the Woman with Chronic Bleeding(D)

18 A synagogue leader came to Yeshua while he was talking to John’s disciples. He bowed down in front of Yeshua and said, “My daughter just died. Come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

19 Yeshua and his disciples got up and followed the man.

20 Then a woman came up behind Yeshua and touched the edge of his clothes. She had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years. 21 She thought, “If I only touch his clothes, I’ll get well.”

22 When Yeshua turned and saw her he said, “Cheer up, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” At that very moment the woman became well.

23 Yeshua came to the synagogue leader’s house. He saw flute players and a noisy crowd. 24 He said to them, “Leave! The girl is not dead. She’s sleeping.” But they laughed at him.

25 When the crowd had been put outside, Yeshua went in, took her hand, and the girl came back to life.

26 The news about this spread throughout that region.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27 When Yeshua left that place, two blind men followed him. They shouted, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”

28 Yeshua went into a house, and the blind men followed him. He said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they answered.

29 He touched their eyes and said, “What you have believed will be done for you!” 30 Then they could see.

He warned them, “Don’t let anyone know about this!” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that region.

Jesus Forces a Demon out of a Man Who Couldn’t Talk

32 As they were leaving, some people brought a man to Yeshua. The man was unable to talk because he was possessed by a demon. 33 But as soon as the demon was forced out, the man began to speak.

The crowds were amazed and said, “We have never seen anything like this in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He forces demons out of people with the help of the ruler of demons.”

Jesus’ Compassion for People

35 Yeshua went to all the towns and villages. He taught in the synagogues and spread the Good News of the kingdom. He also cured every disease and sickness.

36 When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were troubled and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but the workers are few. 38 So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.”

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.