呼召门徒

一天,耶稣站在革尼撒勒湖边,众人团团围着祂,要听上帝的道。 祂看见湖边停着两条船,渔夫离了船正在洗网, 就上了西门的那条船,请西门把船稍微划离岸边,然后坐在船上教导众人。 耶稣讲完之后对西门说:“把船划到水深的地方去撒网捕鱼。”

西门说:“老师,我们劳碌了一整夜,一无所获,但既然你这样吩咐,我就照你的话做。” 他们把网撒下去,果然捕获很多鱼,差点把网撑破了, 于是招呼另一条船上的同伴来帮忙。他们一起把两条船都装满了鱼,船几乎要沉下去了。

西门·彼得见状,便跪倒在耶稣膝前说:“主啊,离开我,我是个罪人!” 他和所有同伴们对捕到这么多鱼感到非常惊讶, 10 包括西庇太的两个儿子雅各和约翰。耶稣对西门说:“不要怕,从今以后,你将成为得人的渔夫。” 11 于是他们把船靠岸后,撇下一切跟从了耶稣。

洁净麻风病人

12 有一次,耶稣在一个小镇遇见一个浑身患麻风病的人,那人一看见耶稣,就俯伏在地上恳求说:“主啊,如果你肯,一定能使我洁净。”

13 耶稣伸手摸他,说:“我肯,你洁净了吧!”他身上的麻风病立刻消失了。

14 耶稣又嘱咐他:“不要把这事告诉别人,要去让祭司察看你的身体,照摩西的规定献上祭物,向众人证明你已经洁净了。”

15 结果耶稣的名声传得更广了,成群的人聚集到祂那里听祂讲道、求祂医病。 16 不过,祂还是常常退到旷野去祷告。

叫瘫子行走

17 有一天,耶稣在教导人,旁边坐着来自加利利、犹太和耶路撒冷各地的法利赛人和律法教师,主的能力伴随着耶稣,使祂能医治病人。

18 有人用担架抬着一个瘫痪的人想进到屋里,把他放在耶稣面前。 19 可是人太挤了,无法进去,他们就爬上屋顶,掀开瓦片,把那病人连人带担架缒到耶稣面前。 20 耶稣看见他们那么有信心,就对瘫子说:“朋友,你的罪得到赦免了!”

21 那些法利赛人和律法教师开始议论起来:“这个说话亵渎上帝的人是谁啊?除了上帝以外,谁能够赦罪?”

22 耶稣知道他们的想法,就问:“你们为什么心里议论呢? 23 说‘你的罪得到赦免了’容易呢,还是说‘你起来行走’容易呢? 24 如今我要让你们知道人子在世上有赦罪的权柄。”于是对瘫子说:“我吩咐你起来!收拾你的担架回家去吧。”

25 那人立刻当众站了起来,拿起他躺卧的担架回家去了,不住地赞美上帝。 26 众人都十分惊奇,一同赞美上帝,心里充满了敬畏,说:“今天我们看到神迹了!”

呼召利未

27 后来耶稣外出时,看见一个名叫利未的税吏坐在收税站里,就对他说:“跟从我!” 28 利未就起来,撇下一切跟从了耶稣。

29 随后,他在家设宴款待耶稣,赴宴的人中有许多税吏和其他人。 30 法利赛人和律法教师就向耶稣的门徒抱怨说:“你们为什么跟税吏和罪人一起吃喝呢?”

31 耶稣答道:“健康的人不需要医生,有病的人才需要。 32 我来不是要召义人悔改,乃是召罪人悔改。”

论禁食

33 他们说:“约翰的门徒常常禁食祷告,法利赛人的门徒也是一样,可是你的门徒却又吃又喝。”

34 耶稣说:“新郎还跟宾客在一起的时候,岂能让宾客禁食? 35 但有一天新郎将被带走,那时他们就要禁食了。” 36 耶稣又给他们讲了一个比喻,说:“没有人会从新衣服上撕下一块布来,补在旧衣服上。否则,不但新衣服撕破了,旧衣服和新补丁也不相称。 37 同样,没有人把新酒装进旧皮囊里,否则新酒会把旧皮囊胀破,酒也漏了,皮囊也毁了。 38 所以新酒一定要装在新皮囊里。 39 但是,没有人喝过陈年老酒后,还愿意喝新酒,因为他会说,‘还是陈年老酒好。’”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(A)

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.(B) He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.(C)

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”(D)

Simon answered, “Master,(E) we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.(F) But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.(G) So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”(H) For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid;(I) from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.(J)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy(K)

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[b](L) When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone,(M) but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded(N) for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more,(O) so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.(P)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man(Q)

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law(R) were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.(S) 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”(T)

21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”(U)

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man(V) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.(W) They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners(X)

27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,”(Y) Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.(Z)

29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors(AA) and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect(AB) complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”(AC)

31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”(AD)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting(AE)

33 They said to him, “John’s disciples(AF) often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom(AG) fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;(AH) in those days they will fast.”

36 He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 5:1 That is, the Sea of Galilee
  2. Luke 5:12 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by (A)the lake of Gennesaret, (B)and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were (C)washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And (D)he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, (E)“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, (F)we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, (G)they enclosed a large number of fish, and (H)their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. (I)And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, (J)“Depart from me, for (K)I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”[a] 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, (L)they left everything and followed him.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

12 While he was in one of the cities, (M)there came a man full of leprosy.[b] And when he saw Jesus, he (N)fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, (O)if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus[c] stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him (P)to tell no one, but “go and show (Q)yourself to the priest, and (R)make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, (S)for a proof to them.” 15 (T)But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But (U)he would withdraw to desolate places and (V)pray.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and (W)teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And (X)the power of the Lord was with him to heal.[d] 18 (Y)And behold, some men were bringing (Z)on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on (AA)the roof and let him down with his bed (AB)through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And (AC)when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, (AD)your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks (AE)blasphemies? (AF)Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus (AG)perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that (AH)the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, (AI)glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they (AJ)glorified God and were filled (AK)with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Jesus Calls Levi

27 (AL)After this he went out and saw (AM)a tax collector named (AN)Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And (AO)leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company (AP)of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and (AQ)their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, (AR)“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 (AS)I have not come to call the righteous (AT)but sinners (AU)to repentance.”

A Question About Fasting

33 And they said to him, (AV)“The disciples of John (AW)fast often and (AX)offer prayers, (AY)and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, (AZ)“Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 (BA)The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and (BB)then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old (BC)wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”[e]

Footnotes

  1. Luke 5:10 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women
  2. Luke 5:12 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  3. Luke 5:13 Greek he
  4. Luke 5:17 Some manuscripts was present to heal them
  5. Luke 5:39 Some manuscripts better

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples(A)

So (B)it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to (C)hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He (D)sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, (E)“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught (F)nothing; nevertheless (G)at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, (H)“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

For he and all who were with him were (I)astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. (J)From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, (K)they [a]forsook all and followed Him.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper(L)

12 (M)And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of (N)leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and [b]implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (O)Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 (P)And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, (Q)just as Moses commanded.”

15 However, (R)the report went around concerning Him all the more; and (S)great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16 (T)So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and (U)prayed.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic(V)

17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present [c]to heal them. 18 (W)Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst (X)before Jesus.

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 (Y)And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? (Z)Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 But when Jesus (AA)perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, (AB)“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, (AC)glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they (AD)glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Matthew the Tax Collector(AE)

27 (AF)After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, (AG)“Follow Me.” 28 So he left all, rose up, and (AH)followed Him.

29 (AI)Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And (AJ)there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 [d]And their scribes and the Pharisees [e]complained against His disciples, saying, (AK)“Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 (AL)I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting(AM)

33 Then they said to Him, (AN)“Why[f] do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

34 And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the (AO)bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

36 (AP)Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one [g]puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, [h]and both are preserved. 39 And no one, having drunk old wine, [i]immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is [j]better.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 5:11 left behind
  2. Luke 5:12 begged
  3. Luke 5:17 NU with Him to heal
  4. Luke 5:30 NU But the Pharisees and their scribes
  5. Luke 5:30 grumbled
  6. Luke 5:33 NU omits Why do, making the verse a statement
  7. Luke 5:36 NU tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old one
  8. Luke 5:38 NU omits and both are preserved
  9. Luke 5:39 NU omits immediately
  10. Luke 5:39 NU good

Picture these events:

On the banks of Gennesaret Lake, a huge crowd, Jesus in the center of it, presses in to hear His message from God. Off to the side, fishermen are washing their nets, leaving their boats unattended on the shore.

Jesus gets into one of the boats and asks its owner, Simon, to push off and anchor a short distance from the beach. Jesus sits down and teaches the people standing on the beach.

After speaking for a while, Jesus speaks to Simon.

Jesus: Move out into deeper water, and drop your nets to see what you’ll catch.

Simon (perplexed): Master, we’ve been fishing all night, and we haven’t caught even a minnow. But . . . all right, I’ll do it if You say so.

Simon then gets his fellow fishermen to help him let down their nets, and to their surprise, the water is bubbling with thrashing fish—a huge school. The strands of their nets start snapping under the weight of the catch, so the crew shouts to the other boat to come out and give them a hand. They start scooping fish out of the nets and into their boats, and before long, their boats are so full of fish they almost sink!

The miracles Jesus performs come in all types: He heals the sick. He frees the oppressed. He shows His power over nature. He will even raise the dead. But as the story in verses 21-26 shows, one of the greatest miracles of all is forgiveness. To have sins forgiven—to start over again, to have God separate believers from their mistakes and moral failures, to lift the weight of shame and guilt—this may well be the weightiest evidence that God’s Son is on the move. The kingdom of God doesn’t throw all guilty people in jail; it doesn’t execute everyone who has made mistakes or tell them they’re just getting what they deserve. Instead, it brings forgiveness, reconciliation, a new start, a second chance. In this way, it mobilizes believers to have a new future.

Certainly Jesus has communicated the message of the Kingdom through words and through signs and wonders. Now Jesus embodies the message in the way He treats people, including outcasts like Levi. As a tax collector, Levi is a Jew who works for the Romans, the oppressors, the enemies. No wonder tax collectors are despised! But how does Jesus treat this compromiser? He doesn’t leave him paralyzed in his compromised position; He invites him—like the paralyzed man—to get up and walk, and to walk in a new direction toward a new King and Kingdom.

8-10 Simon’s fishing partners, James and John (two of Zebedee’s sons), along with the rest of the fishermen, see this incredible haul of fish. They’re all stunned, especially Simon. He comes close to Jesus and kneels in front of His knees.

Simon: I can’t take this, Lord. I’m a sinful man. You shouldn’t be around the likes of me.

Jesus: Don’t be afraid, Simon. From now on, I’ll ask you to bring Me people instead of fish.

11 The fishermen haul their fish-heavy boats to land, and they leave everything to follow Jesus.

12 Another time in a city nearby, a man covered with skin lesions comes along. As soon as he sees Jesus, he prostrates himself.

Leper: Lord, if You wish to, You can heal me of my disease.

13 Jesus reaches out His hand and touches the man, something no one would normally do for fear of being infected or of becoming ritually unclean.

Jesus: I want to heal you. Be cleansed!

Immediately the man is cured. 14 Jesus tells him firmly not to tell anyone about this.

Jesus: Go, show yourself to the priest, and do what Moses commanded by making an appropriate offering to celebrate your cleansing. This will prove to everyone what has happened.

15 Even though Jesus said not to talk about what happened, soon every conversation was consumed by these events. The crowds swelled even larger as people went to hear Jesus preach and to be healed of their many afflictions. 16 Jesus repeatedly left the crowds, though, stealing away into the wilderness to pray.

17 One day Jesus was teaching in a house, and the healing power of the Lord was with Him. Pharisees and religious scholars were sitting and listening, having come from villages all across the regions of Galilee and Judea and from the holy city of Jerusalem.

18 Some men came to the house, carrying a paralyzed man on his bed pallet. They wanted to bring him in and present him to Jesus, 19 but the house was so packed with people that they couldn’t get in. So they climbed up on the roof and pulled off some roof tiles. Then they lowered the man by ropes so he came to rest right in front of Jesus.

20 In this way, their faith was visible to Jesus.

Jesus (to the man on the pallet): My friend, all your sins are forgiven.

21 The Pharisees and religious scholars were offended at this. They turned to one another and asked questions.

Pharisees and Religious Scholars: Who does He think He is? Wasn’t that blasphemous? Who can pronounce that a person’s sins are forgiven? Who but God alone?

Jesus (responding with His own question): 22 Why are your hearts full of questions? 23 Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or “Get up and walk”? 24 Just so you’ll know that the Son of Man is fully authorized to forgive sins on earth (He turned to the paralyzed fellow lying on the pallet), I say, get up, take your mat, and go home.

25 Then, right in front of their eyes, the man stood up, picked up his bed, and left to go home—full of praises for God! 26 Everyone was stunned. They couldn’t help but feel awestruck, and they praised God too.

People: We’ve seen extraordinary things today.

27 Some time later, Jesus walked along the street and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting in his tax office.

Jesus: Follow Me.

28 And Levi did. He got up from his desk, left everything (just as the fishermen had), and followed Jesus.

29 Shortly after this, Levi invited his many friends and associates, including many tax collectors, to his home for a large feast in Jesus’ honor. Everyone sat at a table together.

The Pharisees are back again, and they stay through the rest of the story. Pharisaism is a religious movement, consisting of lay people (not clergy) who share a deep commitment to the Hebrew Scriptures and traditions. They believe the Jewish people have not yet been freed from the Romans because of the Jews’ tolerance of sin. There are too many drunks, prostitutes, and gluttons. “If we could just get these sinners to change their ways,” they feel, “then God would send the One who will free us.” How angry they are at Jesus not just for forgiving sins but also for eating with sinners! After all, to eat with people means to accept them. The kind of Rescuer they expect will judge and destroy sinners, not forgive them and enjoy their company!

30 The Pharisees and their associates, the religious scholars, got the attention of some of Jesus’ disciples.

Pharisees (in low voices): What’s wrong with you? Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and other immoral people?

Jesus (answering for the disciples): 31 Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. 32 I haven’t come for the pure and upstanding; I’ve come to call notorious sinners to rethink their lives and turn to God.

Pharisees: 33 Explain to us why You and Your disciples are so commonly found partying like this, when our disciples—and even the disciples of John—are known for fasting rather than feasting, and for saying prayers rather than drinking wine.

Jesus: 34 Imagine there’s a wedding going on. Is that the time to tell the guests to ignore the bridegroom and fast? 35 Sure, there’s a time for fasting—when the bridegroom has been taken away. 36 Look, nobody tears up a new garment to make a patch for an old garment. If he did, the new patch would shrink and rip the old, and the old garment would be worse off than before. 37 And nobody takes freshly squeezed juice and puts it into old, stiff wineskins. If he did, the fresh wine would make the old skins burst open, and both the wine and the wineskins would be ruined. 38 New demands new—new wine for new wineskins. 39 Anyway, those who’ve never tasted the new wine won’t know what they’re missing; they’ll always say, “The old wine is good enough for me!”