A Paralyzed Man Healed

1Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee and came to His own city.

2And they brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man who was paralyzed, “Take courage, [a]son; your sins are forgiven.” 3And some of the scribes said [b]to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” 4And Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6But so that you may 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.” 7And he got up and [c]went home. 8But when the crowds saw this, they were [d]awestruck, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Matthew Called

9As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s office; and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.

10Then it happened that as [e]Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [f]sinners came and began dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13Now go and learn [g]what this means: ‘I DESIRE [h]COMPASSION, [i]RATHER THAN SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Question about Fasting

14Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15And Jesus said to them, “The [j]attendants of the groom cannot mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for [k]the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Miracles of Healing

18While He was saying these things to them, behold, [l]a synagogue [m]official came and [n]bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will become alive again.” 19Jesus got up from the table and began to accompany him, along with His disciples.

20And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him, and touched the [o]border of His [p]cloak; 21for she was [q]saying [r]to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will [s]get well.” 22But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has [t]made you well.” And [u]at once the woman was [v]made well.

23When Jesus came into the [w]official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. 25But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl [x]got up. 26And this news spread throughout that land.

27As Jesus went on from there, two men who were blind followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28And after He entered the house, the men who were blind came up to Him, and Jesus *said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They *said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29Then He touched their eyes, saying, “[y]It shall be done for you according to your faith.” 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows about this!” 31But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that land.

32And as they were going out, behold, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak [z]was brought to Him. 33And after the demon was cast out, the man who was previously unable to speak talked; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever [aa]been seen in Israel.” 34But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”

35Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.

36Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were [ab]distressed and downcast, like sheep [ac]without a shepherd. 37Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

[a] 2 Lit child
[b] 3 Lit among
[c] 7 Lit departed to his home
[d] 8 Lit afraid
[e] 10 Lit He
[f] 10 I.e., irreligious Jews
[g] 13 Lit what is
[h] 13 Or mercy
[i] 13 Lit and not
[j] 15 Lit sons of the wedding place
[k] 16 Lit that which fills up
[l] 18 Or one
[m] 18 Lit ruler
[n] 18 Or worshiped
[o] 20 Or tassel; i.e., a ritual tassel sewn to corners of garments for Jewish men
[p] 20 Or outer garment
[q] 21 Or thinking
[r] 21 Lit in herself
[s] 21 Lit be saved
[t] 22 Lit saved you
[u] 22 Lit from that hour
[v] 22 Lit saved
[w] 23 Lit ruler’s
[x] 25 Or was raised up
[y] 29 Or it is to be done; Gr imperative, i.e., a command
[z] 32 Lit they brought
[aa] 33 Lit appeared
[ab] 36 Or weary
[ac] 36 Lit not having