The Two Foundations

²⁴ “Therefore,^(A) everyone who hears these words^(B) of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(C) the crowds were astonished at his teaching,^{(D) 29} because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

A Man Cleansed

8 When he came down from the mountain, large crowds^(A) followed him. ² Right away^(B) a man with leprosy^[a] came up and knelt before him,^(C) saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ Then Jesus told him, “See that you don’t tell anyone;^(D) but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”^(E)

A Centurion’s Faith

⁵ When he entered Capernaum,^(F) a centurion came to him, pleading with him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony.”

⁷ He said to him, “Am I to come and heal him?”^[b]

⁸ “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.^{(G) 9} For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command.^[c] I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith. ¹¹ I tell you that many will come from east and west to share the banquet^[d] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.^{(H) 12} But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”^{(I) 13} Then Jesus told the centurion, “Go. As you have believed,^(J) let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that very moment.^[e]

Healings at Capernaum

¹⁴ Jesus went into Peter’s house^(K) and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. ¹⁵ So he touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began to serve him. ¹⁶ When evening came, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed. He drove out the spirits^(L) with a word and healed all who were sick,^{(M) 17} so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

The Cost of Following Jesus

¹⁸ When Jesus saw a large crowd^[g](O) around him, he gave the order to go to the other side of the sea. ¹⁹ A scribe approached him and said,^(P) “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

²⁰ Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man^(Q) has no place to lay his head.”

²¹ “Lord,” another of his disciples said, “first let me go bury my father.”

²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”