Matthew 9
1 He entered into a boat and crossed over, and came into his own city.
So Jesus took a boat back across the lake to the town where he lived.
2 Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”
There they brought to him a paralyzed man lying on a mat. When Jesus saw how they trusted him, he told the paralyzed man, “My friend, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven.”
3 Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”
In response some of the religious teachers said to themselves, “He's speaking blasphemy!”
4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your minds?
5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?
What is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’?
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.”
But to convince you that the Son of man does have the authority to forgive sins…” he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
7 He arose and departed to his house.
The man got up and went home.
8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
When the crowds saw what had happened, they were scared. Then they praised God that he had given human beings such power.
9 As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.
As Jesus moved on from there he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth. Jesus called to him, “Follow me!” He got up, and followed Jesus.
10 As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
While Jesus was eating at Matthew's home, many tax-collectors and sinners came and sat down at the table with Jesus and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
When the Pharisees saw this they asked Jesus' disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?”
12 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.
When Jesus heard the question, he replied, “Those who are well don't need a doctor, but sick people do.
13 But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Go and discover what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call those who do what's right—I came to call sinners.’”
14 Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
Then the disciples of John came and asked, “Why is that we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples don't?”
15 Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
“Do wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus responded. “But the time is coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.
No one puts a new patch on old clothes, otherwise it will shrink and make the tear worse.
17 Neither do people put new wine into old wine skins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved.”
No one puts new wine in old wineskins either, otherwise the wineskins will burst, spilling the wine and ruining the wineskins. No, new wine is put into new wineskins, and both last.”
18 While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
While he was telling them this, one of the leading officials came and bowed before him. “My daughter has just died,” the man told Jesus. “But if you come and place your hand on her, I know she will come back to life.”
19 Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples.
Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.
20 Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;
At that moment a woman who had been sick with bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the hem of his cloak.
21 for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”
She had told herself, “If I can just touch his cloak, I'll be healed.”
22 But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.
Jesus turned and saw her. “Be happy, for your trust in me has healed you,” he told her. The woman was immediately healed.
23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder,
Jesus arrived at the official's house. He saw the flute-players and the crowd that was weeping loudly.
24 he said to them, “Make room, because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” They were ridiculing him.
“Please leave,” he told them, “For the girl isn't dead, she's just asleep.” But they laughed and made fun of him.
25 But when the crowd was sent out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
But once the crowd had been sent out, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
26 The report of this went out into all that land.
News of what happened spread throughout that region.
27 As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!”
As Jesus continued on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Son of David, please have mercy on us!”
28 When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.”
When Jesus arrived at the house where he was staying, the blind men came in too. “Are you convinced that I'm able to do this?” he asked them. “Yes, Lord,” they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”
Then Jesus touched their eyes, and said, “Because of your trust in me it will happen!”
30 Then their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.”
And they could see. Then Jesus warned them, “Make sure nobody knows about this.”
31 But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.
But they went and spread the word about Jesus everywhere.
32 As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving, a man was brought to him who was dumb and demon-possessed.
33 When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
Once the demon had been thrown out of him, the dumb man spoke, and the crowds were amazed. “Nothing ever happened like this before in Israel,” they said.
34 But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”
But the Pharisees remarked, “He throws out demons using the power of the chief of demons.”
35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Jesus went all over, visiting the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues, telling them about the good news of the kingdom, and he healed all kinds of sicknesses and diseases.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.
When he saw the crowds, Jesus was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
He told his disciples, “The harvest is large, but there are only a few workers.
38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”
Pray to the Lord of the harvest, and ask him to send more workers for his harvest.”
