A Question About Fasting

¹⁴ Then ^(A)the disciples of John came to him, saying, ^(B)“Why do we and ^(C)the Pharisees fast,^[a] but your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, ^(D)“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? ^(E)The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and ^(F)then they will fast. ¹⁶ No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. ¹⁷ Neither is new wine put into old ^(G)wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

^18 (H)While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and ^(I)knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹ And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. ²⁰ And behold, a woman ^(J)who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched ^(K)the fringe of his garment, ²¹ for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” ²² Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ^(L)“Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” ^(M)And instantly^[b] the woman was made well. ²³ And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw ^(N)the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, ²⁴ he said, “Go away, for ^(O)the girl is not dead but ^(P)sleeping.” And they laughed at him. ²⁵ But ^(Q)when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and ^(R)took her by the hand, and the girl arose. ²⁶ And the report of this went through all that district.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

^27 (S)And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, ^(T)Son of David.” ²⁸ When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” ^29 (U)Then he touched their eyes, saying, ^(V)“According to your faith let it be done to you.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, ^(W)“See that no one knows about it.” ^31 (X)But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Speak

³² As they were going away, behold, a ^(Y)demon-oppressed man who was mute ^(Z)was brought to him. ³³ And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds ^(AA)marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” ³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

^35 (AB)And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ^36 (AC)When he saw the crowds, ^(AD)he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, ^(AE)like sheep without a shepherd. ^37 (AF)Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore ^(AG)pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to ^(AH)send out laborers into his harvest.”

The King Rejoices in the Lord's Strength

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.