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The First Disciples

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,[a] great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon,[b] its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

12 In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

13 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 14 Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.[c] This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

17 One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.

18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19 but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

21 But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man[d] has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)

27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?[e]

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

A Discussion about Fasting

33 One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”

34 Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. 35 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

36 Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.

37 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. 38 New wine must be stored in new wineskins. 39 But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Greek Lake Gennesaret, another name for the Sea of Galilee.
  2. 5:3 Simon is called “Peter” in 6:14 and thereafter.
  3. 5:14 See Lev 14:2-32.
  4. 5:24 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  5. 5:30 Greek with tax collectors and sinners?

Now it came about that while the multitude was listening to the dvar Hashem and pressing in upon Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, he had been standing beside Lake Kinneret,

And he saw two sirot (boats) having been beside the lake. But the daiyagim (fishermen) had left them and were cleaning the nets.

And embarking into one of the sirot which was Shimon’s, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach asked Shimon to put out from the land a little; and having sat down, from the sirah (boat) to the multitudes Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach was saying shiurim.

And when he stopped speaking, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to Shimon, Put out into the deep (water) and let down your nets for a catch.

And in reply, Shimon said, Adoni, throughout the whole lailah we have labored and caught nothing. But on account of your dvar I will let down the nets.

And having done this, they enclosed asach (a lot of) dagim, and their nets were being torn.

And they signaled for their shuttafim (partners) in the other sirah to come and help them. And they came and they filled both sirot (boats) so much that they began to sink.

And having seen this, Shimon Kefa fell down before Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, saying, Depart from me, Adoni, for an ish choteh (sinful man) am I. [BERESHIS 18:27; IYOV 42:6; YESHAYAH 6:5]

For astonishment seized Shimon Kefa and all the ones with him on account of the catch of dagim which they took;

10 And likewise also Yaakov and Yochanan the banim of Zavdai, who were business shuttafim (partners) with Shimon. And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to Shimon, Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch bnei Adam.

11 And having left behind the sirot on the shore, they forsook all, and followed him [as talmidim].

12 And it came about, while he was in one of the shtetlach, hinei, there was an ish metzorah full of leprosy. And having seen Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, and having fallen on his face, he begged him saying, Adoni, if you are willing, you are able to make me tahor (clean).

13 And having stretched out his hand, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach touched him, saying, I am willing. Be made tahor. And, ofen ort (immediately), the leprosy departed from him.

14 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave orders to him to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the kohen and make a korban for your tohorah (purification) as Moshe Rabbeinu gave mitzvah; do this for an edut (solemn testimony) to them. [VAYIKRA 14:2-32]

15 But the man was spreading even more the dvar about Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and many multitudes were assembling to listen and to receive refuah (healing) from their machlot (illnesses).

16 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was withdrawing in hitbodedut (seclusion, aloneness with G-d) into the wilderness places and was davening.

17 And it came about, on one of the yamim when he was teaching Torah, that the Perushim and Sofrim had come from every shtetl of the Galil and Yehudah and Yerushalayim and were sitting by. And the power of Hashem was with Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach to bring refuah (healing).

18 And hinei, anashim were carrying on a mat a man who had been paralyzed, and they were seeking to carry in the paralytic and to place him before Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.

19 And not having found by what way they might carry him, because of the multitude, and having gone up onto the roof, they let the man down with the mat through the tiles so that he was right in the center in front of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.

20 And having seen their emunah, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said, Ben Adam, your chatta’im (sins) have received selicha (forgiveness).

21 And the Sofrim began to raise kashes (questions), and also the Perushim, saying, Who is this who is speaking Chillul Hashem gidduf? Who is able to grant selicha to chatta’im but Hashem alone?

22 But he having had daas of their machshavot (thoughts), said to them in reply, Why are you reasoning in your levavot?

23 Which is easier: to say, Your chatta’im have been granted selicha, or to say, Get up and walk?

24 But in order that you may have da’as that the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13] has samchut on HaAretz to grant selicha to chatta’im, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to the one having been paralyzed, To you I say, Get up, pick up your mat, and go to your bais (house, home).

25 And at once the man arose in front of them, picked up the mat upon which he was lying, and departed to his bais, shouting, Baruch Hashem!

26 And astonishment seized everyone, and they were shouting, Baruch Hashem! And they were filled with yirat Shomayim, saying, Hayom (today) our eyes have beheld niflaot (wonders)!

27 And after these things Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach went out and saw a moches (tax collector) named Levi [Mattityahu] sitting in the tax office, and he said to him, Follow me.

28 And having forsaken all and having got up, Levi was following Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.

29 And Levi arranged a large seudah in his bais for Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, and there was a great number of mochesim and others who were with them, reclining at tish.

30 And the Perushim and their Sofrim were murmuring against Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach’s talmidim, saying, Why with the mochesim and choteim are you eating and drinking?

31 And in reply, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to them, It is not the bariim who have need of a rofeh, but the cholim (sick persons);

32 I have not come to call the tzaddikim but choteim (sinners) to teshuva (repentance).

33 But they said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Yochanan’s talmidim undergo tzomot (fasts) often and offer tefillos; likewise also the ones of the Perushim; but your talmidim eat and drink.

34 But Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to them, You are not able to make the Bnei haChuppah undergo tzomot while the Choson is with them, are you?

35 But yamim will come when the Choson is taken away from them; then, in those yamim, they will undergo tzomot.

36 Now Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was telling also a mashal to them: No one tears a piece from a new garment, and sews it as a patch on an old garment. Otherwise, both the new will be torn, and the patch from the new will not match the old.

37 And no one puts yayin chadash (new wine) into old wineskins; otherwise, the new wine will burst the wineskins, it will be spilled, and the wineskins will be destroyed.

38 Rather, yayin chadash must be put into new wineskins.

39 And no one having drunk the old desires the chadash (new), for he says, The alter (old) is besere (better). [T.N. Lukas wrote this book sometime around 63 B.C.E.]