Jesus Heals Many

They left the synagogue and went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.

Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever. Without delay they told Jesus about her.

He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, when the sun had set, the people kept bringing to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.

He healed many people who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. But he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

Jesus got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went out. He withdrew to a solitary place and was praying there.

Simon and his companions searched for him,

and, when they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is looking for you!”

He told them, “Let’s go somewhere else, to the neighboring villages, so that I can preach there too. In fact, that is why I have come.”

Jesus Heals a Leper

A leper came to Jesus. He knelt down and begged him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be clean.”

He told him, “See that you do not say anything to anyone. Instead go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the sacrifices for your cleansing that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

But after the man left, he began to proclaim it widely. He spread the word so much that Jesus was no longer able to enter a town openly but stayed outside in deserted places. Yet people kept coming to him from all directions.

Jesus Forgives Sins

When Jesus again entered Capernaum some days later, people heard that he was home.

So many people were gathered together that there was no more room, not even by the door, and he was speaking the word to them.

Some people came to him bringing a paralyzed man, carried by four men.

Since they could not bring the man to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug through the roof above where he was. When they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralyzed man was lying.

But there were some experts in the law sitting there and thinking in their hearts,

“Why does this fellow speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?”

Which is easier: to tell the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and walk’?

But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man,

At once the man got up, picked up the stretcher, and went out in front of everyone. So they were all amazed and glorified God. They said, “We have never seen anything like this!”

The Calling of Levi (Matthew)

Jesus went out again along the sea. The whole crowd went to him, and he taught them.

As he was passing by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. And Levi got up and followed him.

Then when Jesus was reclining at a table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples because many of them also were following him.