Luke 5
The Voice
5 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. 2 Off to the side, fishermen are washing their nets, leaving their boats unattended on the shore.
3 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.
4 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): 5 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.
6 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, 7 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!”
Lukas 5
Orthodox Jewish Bible
5 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,
2 And he saw two sirot (boats) having been beside the lake. But the daiyagim (fishermen) had left them and were cleaning the nets.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 And having done this, they enclosed asach (a lot of) dagim, and their nets were being torn.
7 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.
8 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]
9 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.]
Luke 5
New King James Version
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples(A)
5 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, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 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.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, (E)“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 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.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 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. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, (H)“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
9 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
- Luke 5:11 left behind
- Luke 5:12 begged
- Luke 5:17 NU with Him to heal
- Luke 5:30 NU But the Pharisees and their scribes
- Luke 5:30 grumbled
- Luke 5:33 NU omits Why do, making the verse a statement
- Luke 5:36 NU tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old one
- Luke 5:38 NU omits and both are preserved
- Luke 5:39 NU omits immediately
- Luke 5:39 NU good
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
