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Matthew 9:1-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Matthew 9:1-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
The Healing of a Paralytic. 1 [a](A)He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”(B) 3 At that, some of the scribes[b] said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 [c]But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”(C) 7 He rose and went home. 8 [d]When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.
The Call of Matthew.[e] 9 As Jesus passed on from there,(D) he saw a man named Matthew[f] sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house,[g] many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.(E) 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher[h] eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.[i] 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words,(F) ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[j] I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 9:1 His own town: Capernaum; see Mt 4:13.
- 9:3 Scribes: see note on Mk 2:6. Matthew omits the reason given in the Marcan story for the charge of blasphemy: “Who but God alone can forgive sins?” (Mk 2:7).
- 9:6 It is not clear whether But that you may know…to forgive sins is intended to be a continuation of the words of Jesus or a parenthetical comment of the evangelist to those who would hear or read this gospel. In any case, Matthew here follows the Marcan text.
- 9:8 Who had given such authority to human beings: a significant difference from Mk 2:12 (“They…glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this’”). Matthew’s extension to human beings of the authority to forgive sins points to the belief that such authority was being claimed by Matthew’s church.
- 9:9–17 In this section the order is the same as that of Mk 2:13–22.
- 9:9 A man named Matthew: Mark names this tax collector Levi (Mk 2:14). No such name appears in the four lists of the twelve who were the closest companions of Jesus (Mt 10:2–4; Mk 3:16–19; Lk 6:14–16; Acts 1:13 [eleven, because of the defection of Judas Iscariot]), whereas all four list a Matthew, designated in Mt 10:3 as “the tax collector.” The evangelist may have changed the “Levi” of his source to Matthew so that this man, whose call is given special notice, like that of the first four disciples (Mt 4:18–22), might be included among the twelve. Another reason for the change may be that the disciple Matthew was the source of traditions peculiar to the church for which the evangelist was writing.
- 9:10 His house: it is not clear whether his refers to Jesus or Matthew. Tax collectors: see note on Mt 5:46. Table association with such persons would cause ritual impurity.
- 9:11 Teacher: see note on Mt 8:19.
- 9:12 See note on Mk 2:17.
- 9:13 Go and learn…not sacrifice: Matthew adds the prophetic statement of Hos 6:6 to the Marcan account (see also Mt 12:7). If mercy is superior to the temple sacrifices, how much more to the laws of ritual impurity.
Matthew 9:1-13
New International Version
Matthew 9:1-13
New International Version
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man(A)
9 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.(B) 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,(C) lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,(D) he said to the man, “Take heart,(E) son; your sins are forgiven.”(F)
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”(G)
4 Knowing their thoughts,(H) Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man(I) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,(J) who had given such authority to man.
The Calling of Matthew(K)
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”(L) he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(M)
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a](N) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(O)
Footnotes
- Matthew 9:13 Hosea 6:6
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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