The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.(A) Just then(B) some men[a] brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”(C)

At this, some of the scribes said among themselves, “He’s blaspheming!”(D)

But perceiving their thoughts,(E) Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?[b] For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He told the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” And he got up and went home. When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck[c][d] and gave glory(F) to God who had given such authority to men.

The Call of Matthew

As Jesus went on from there,(G) He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him.(H)

10 While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat[e] with Jesus and His disciples.(I) 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(J)

12 But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do.(K) 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.(L)[f] For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[g]

A Question about Fasting

14 Then John’s disciples came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”(M)

15 Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests[h] be sad while the groom is with them? The time[i] will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse. 17 And no one puts[j] new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed

18 As He was telling them these things,(N) suddenly one of the leaders[k] came and knelt down before Him, saying, “My daughter is near death,[l] but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”(O) 19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed(P) him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe,(Q) 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch His robe, I’ll be made well!”[m](R)

22 But Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” He said. “Your faith has made you well.”[n](S) And the woman was made well from that moment.[o]

23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.(T) 24 “Leave,” He said, “because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.”(U) And they started laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.(V) 26 And this news spread throughout that whole area.(W)

Healing the Blind

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”(X)

28 When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe(Y) that I can do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they answered Him.

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith!” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out!”[p](Z) 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole area.

Driving Out a Demon

32 Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him.(AA) 33 When the demon had been driven out, the man[q] spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!”(AB)

The Lord of the Harvest

35 Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,(AC) and healing every[r] disease and every sickness.[s] 36 When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out,(AD) like sheep without a shepherd.(AE) 37 Then He said to His disciples,(AF) “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:2 Lit then they
  2. Matthew 9:4 Or minds
  3. Matthew 9:8 Other mss read amazed
  4. Matthew 9:8 Lit afraid
  5. Matthew 9:10 Lit came, they were reclining (at the table); at important meals the custom was to recline on a mat at a low table and lean on the left elbow.
  6. Matthew 9:13 Hs 6:6
  7. Matthew 9:13 Other mss add to repentance
  8. Matthew 9:15 Lit the sons of the bridal chamber
  9. Matthew 9:15 Lit days
  10. Matthew 9:17 Lit And they do not put
  11. Matthew 9:18 A leader of a synagogue; Mk 5:22
  12. Matthew 9:18 Lit daughter has now come to the end
  13. Matthew 9:21 Or be delivered
  14. Matthew 9:22 Or has saved you
  15. Matthew 9:22 Lit hour
  16. Matthew 9:30 Lit no one knows
  17. Matthew 9:33 Lit the man who was unable to speak
  18. Matthew 9:35 Or every kind of
  19. Matthew 9:35 Other mss add among the people

Authority to Pardon Sins

After getting into a boat, Yeshua crossed over and came to His own town. Just then, some people brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a cot. And seeing their faith, Yeshua said to the paralyzed man, “Take courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”

Then some of the Torah scholars said among themselves, “This fellow blasphemes!”

And knowing their thoughts, Yeshua said, “Why are you entertaining evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins...” Then He tells the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your cot and go home.” And he got up and went home. When the crowd saw it, they were afraid and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

A Physician for Sinners

As Yeshua was passing by from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he got up and followed Him.

10 Now it happened that when Yeshua was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Yeshua and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why does this Teacher of yours eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 But when He heard this, Yeshua said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a doctor, but those who are sick do. 13 Now go and learn what this means: ‘Mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.’[a] For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but the sinful.”

Teaching New Ways

14 Then John’s disciples came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”[b]

15 And Yeshua said to them, “The guests of the bridegroom cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 “And no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment and a worse tear happens. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, and the wine spills out and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Compassion in the Shepherd’s Touch

18 Just as He was saying these things to them, a synagogue leader came and began to bow before Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 And Yeshua got up and began to follow him, with His disciples.

20 Just then a woman, losing blood for twelve years,[c] came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment. 21 For she kept saying to herself, “If only I touch His garment, I will be healed.”

22 But then Yeshua turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” He said, “your faith has made you well.” That very hour the woman was healed.

23 When Yeshua came into the synagogue leader’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said, “Go away, for the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” And they began jeering at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been cleared out, He went in and took her hand, and the girl got up. 26 And news of this spread all around that region.

27 As Yeshua went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Ben-David, have mercy on us!”

28 When He went into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Master,” they said to Him.

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be done for you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Yeshua warned them sternly, “See that no one knows.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him all around that region.

32 As they were going out, a mute man plagued by a demon was brought to Him. 33 After the demon was driven out, the mute man started speaking. The crowds were astounded, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “By the prince of demons He drives out demons.”

35 Now Yeshua was going around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. 36 When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [d] 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send out workers into His harvest field.”