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III. LA PREDICAZIONE DEL REGNO DEI CIELI

1. SEZIONE NARRATIVA: DIECI MIRACOLI

Guarigione di un lebbroso

Quando Gesù fu sceso dal monte, molta folla lo seguiva. Ed ecco venire un lebbroso e prostrarsi a lui dicendo: «Signore, se vuoi, tu puoi sanarmi». E Gesù stese la mano e lo toccò dicendo: «Lo voglio, sii sanato». E subito la sua lebbra scomparve. Poi Gesù gli disse: «Guardati dal dirlo a qualcuno, ma và a mostrarti al sacerdote e presenta l'offerta prescritta da Mosè, e ciò serva come testimonianza per loro».

Guarigione del servo del centurione

Entrato in Cafarnao, gli venne incontro un centurione che lo scongiurava: «Signore, il mio servo giace in casa paralizzato e soffre terribilmente». Gesù gli rispose: «Io verrò e lo curerò». Ma il centurione riprese: «Signore, io non son degno che tu entri sotto il mio tetto, dì soltanto una parola e il mio servo sarà guarito. Perché anch'io, che sono un subalterno, ho soldati sotto di me e dico a uno: Fà questo, ed egli lo fa».

10 All'udire ciò, Gesù ne fu ammirato e disse a quelli che lo seguivano: «In verità vi dico, presso nessuno in Israele ho trovato una fede così grande. 11 Ora vi dico che molti verranno dall'oriente e dall'occidente e siederanno a mensa con Abramo, Isacco e Giacobbe nel regno dei cieli, 12 mentre i figli del regno saranno cacciati fuori nelle tenebre, ove sarà pianto e stridore di denti». 13 E Gesù disse al centurione: «Và, e sia fatto secondo la tua fede». In quell'istante il servo guarì.

Guarigione della suocera di Pietro

14 Entrato Gesù nella casa di Pietro, vide la suocera di lui che giaceva a letto con la febbre. 15 Le toccò la mano e la febbre scomparve; poi essa si alzò e si mise a servirlo.

Varie guarigioni

16 Venuta la sera, gli portarono molti indemoniati ed egli scacciò gli spiriti con la sua parola e guarì tutti i malati, 17 perché si adempisse ciò che era stato detto per mezzo del profeta Isaia:

Egli ha preso le nostre infermità
e si è addossato le nostre malattie.

Esigenze della vocazione apostolica

18 Vedendo Gesù una gran folla intorno a sé, ordinò di passare all'altra riva. 19 Allora uno scriba si avvicinò e gli disse: «Maestro, io ti seguirò dovunque tu andrai». 20 Gli rispose Gesù: «Le volpi hanno le loro tane e gli uccelli del cielo i loro nidi, ma il Figlio dell'uomo non ha dove posare il capo».

21 E un altro dei discepoli gli disse: «Signore, permettimi di andar prima a seppellire mio padre». 22 Ma Gesù gli rispose: «Seguimi e lascia i morti seppellire i loro morti».

La tempesta sedata

23 Essendo poi salito su una barca, i suoi discepoli lo seguirono. 24 Ed ecco scatenarsi nel mare una tempesta così violenta che la barca era ricoperta dalle onde; ed egli dormiva. 25 Allora, accostatisi a lui, lo svegliarono dicendo: «Salvaci, Signore, siamo perduti!». 26 Ed egli disse loro: «Perché avete paura, uomini di poca fede?» Quindi levatosi, sgridò i venti e il mare e si fece una grande bonaccia. 27 I presenti furono presi da stupore e dicevano: «Chi è mai costui al quale i venti e il mare obbediscono?».

Gli indemoniati gadareni

28 Giunto all'altra riva, nel paese dei Gadarèni, due indemoniati, uscendo dai sepolcri, gli vennero incontro; erano tanto furiosi che nessuno poteva più passare per quella strada. 29 Cominciarono a gridare: «Che cosa abbiamo noi in comune con te, Figlio di Dio? Sei venuto qui prima del tempo a tormentarci?».

30 A qualche distanza da loro c'era una numerosa mandria di porci a pascolare; 31 e i demòni presero a scongiurarlo dicendo: «Se ci scacci, mandaci in quella mandria». 32 Egli disse loro: «Andate!». Ed essi, usciti dai corpi degli uomini, entrarono in quelli dei porci: ed ecco tutta la mandria si precipitò dal dirupo nel mare e perì nei flutti. 33 I mandriani allora fuggirono ed entrati in città raccontarono ogni cosa e il fatto degli indemoniati. 34 Tutta la città allora uscì incontro a Gesù e, vistolo, lo pregarono che si allontanasse dal loro territorio.

Jesus Heals a Man(A)

When Jesus came down from the hill, large crowds followed him. Then a man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to him, knelt down before him, and said, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.”[a]

Jesus reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” At once the man was healed of his disease. (B)Then Jesus said to him, “Listen! Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered.”

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant(C)

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman officer met him and begged for help: “Sir, my servant is sick in bed at home, unable to move and suffering terribly.”

“I will go and make him well,” Jesus said.

“Oh no, sir,” answered the officer. “I do not deserve to have you come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. (D)I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was surprised and said to the people following him, “I tell you, I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this. 11 (E)I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven. 12 (F)But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the officer, “Go home, and what you believe will be done for you.”

And the officer's servant was healed that very moment.

Jesus Heals Many People(G)

14 Jesus went to Peter's home, and there he saw Peter's mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand; the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

16 When evening came, people brought to Jesus many who had demons in them. Jesus drove out the evil spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 (H)He did this to make come true what the prophet Isaiah had said, “He himself took our sickness and carried away our diseases.”

The Would-Be Followers of Jesus(I)

18 When Jesus noticed the crowd around him, he ordered his disciples to go to the other side of the lake. 19 A teacher of the Law came to him. “Teacher,” he said, “I am ready to go with you wherever you go.”

20 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest.”

21 (J)Another man, who was a disciple, said, “Sir, first let me go back and bury my father.”

22 “Follow me,” Jesus answered, “and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms a Storm(K)

23 Jesus got into a boat, and his disciples went with him. 24 Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake, and the boat was in danger of sinking. But Jesus was asleep. 25 The disciples went to him and woke him up. “Save us, Lord!” they said. “We are about to die!”

26 “Why are you so frightened?” Jesus answered. “What little faith you have!” Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm.

27 Everyone was amazed. “What kind of man is this?” they said. “Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons(L)

28 When Jesus came to the territory of Gadara on the other side of the lake, he was met by two men who came out of the burial caves there. These men had demons in them and were so fierce that no one dared travel on that road. 29 At once they screamed, “What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come to punish us before the right time?”

30 Not far away there was a large herd of pigs feeding. 31 So the demons begged Jesus, “If you are going to drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”

32 “Go,” Jesus told them; so they left and went off into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

33 The men who had been taking care of the pigs ran away and went into the town, where they told the whole story and what had happened to the men with the demons. 34 So everyone from the town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their territory.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 8:2 This disease was considered to make a person ritually unclean.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy(A)

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy[a](B) came and knelt before him(C) and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone.(D) But go, show yourself to the priest(E) and offer the gift Moses commanded,(F) as a testimony to them.”

The Faith of the Centurion(G)

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed,(H) suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.(I) For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.(J) 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west,(K) and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.(L) 12 But the subjects of the kingdom(M) will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”(N)

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”(O) And his servant was healed at that moment.

Jesus Heals Many(P)

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.(Q) 17 This was to fulfill(R) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
    and bore our diseases.”[b](S)

The Cost of Following Jesus(T)

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.(U) 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(V) has no place to lay his head.”

21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me,(W) and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms the Storm(X)(Y)

23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith,(Z) why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.(AA)

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men(AB)

28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[c] two demon-possessed(AC) men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us,(AD) Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”(AE)

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 8:2 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Matthew 8:17 Isaiah 53:4 (see Septuagint)
  3. Matthew 8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; other manuscripts Gerasenes