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 stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”(C)

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

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 that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” So 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,” and he got up and followed him.(H)

10 While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat 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 Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick.(K) 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.[e](L) For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[f]

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[g] be sad while the groom is with them? The time[h] 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[i] new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. No, 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 came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died,[j] 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 twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe,(Q) 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”[k](R)

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

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 is not dead but asleep.”(U) And they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.(V) 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.(W)

Healing the Blind

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “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?”

They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”

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.”(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 who had been mute 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 Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,(AC) and healing every[n] disease and every sickness.[o][p] 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected,(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. 9:2 Lit then they
  2. 9:4 Or minds
  3. 9:8 Other mss read amazed
  4. 9:8 Lit afraid
  5. 9:13 Hs 6:6
  6. 9:13 Other mss add to repentance
  7. 9:15 Lit the sons of the bridal chamber
  8. 9:15 Lit days
  9. 9:17 Lit And they do not put
  10. 9:18 Lit daughter has now come to the end
  11. 9:21 Or be saved
  12. 9:22 Or has made you well
  13. 9:22 Lit hour
  14. 9:35 Or every kind of
  15. 9:35 Other mss add among the people
  16. 9:35 Or physical ailment

1 One sick of the palsy, is healed. 5 Remission of sins. 9 Matthew called.  10 Sinners. 17 New wine. 18 The ruler’s daughter raised. 20 A woman healed of a bloody issue. 28 Two blind men by faith receive sight. 32 A dumb man possessed is healed. 37 The harvest and workmen.

Then he [a]entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his [b]own city.

And (A)lo, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy laid on a bed. And Jesus [c]seeing their faith, said to the sick of the palsy, Son be of good comfort: thy sins are forgiven thee.

And behold, certain of the Scribes said with themselves, This man [d]blasphemeth.

But when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said, Wherefore think ye evil things in your hearts?

For whether is it easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Arise, and walk?

And that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority in earth to forgive sins (then said he unto the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thine house.

And he arose, and departed to his own house.

So when the multitude saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such authority to men.

(B)[e]And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man sitting at the [f]custom, named Matthew, and said to him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, behold, many Publicans and [g]sinners that came thither, sat down at the table with Jesus and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw that, they said to his disciples, Why eateth your Master with Publicans and sinners?

12 Now when Jesus heard it, he said unto them, The whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick.

13 But go ye and learn what this is, (C)I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but the (D)sinners to repentance.

14 (E)[h]Then came the disciples of John to him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, and thy disciples fast not?

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the [i]children of the marriage chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16 Moreover, no man pieceth an old garment with a piece of [j]new cloth: for that that should fill it up, taketh away from the garment, and the breach is worse.

17 Neither do they put new wine into old vessels: for then the vessels would break, and the wine would be spilt, and the vessels would perish: but they put new wine into new vessels, and so are both preserved.

18 (F)[k]While he thus spake unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is now deceased: but come and lay thine hand on her, and she shall live.

19 And Jesus arose and followed him with his disciples.

20 (And behold, a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.

21 For she said in herself, If I may touch but his garment only, I shall be whole.

22 Then Jesus turned him about, and seeing her, did say, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole at that same moment.)

23 [l] Now when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the [m]minstrels and the multitude making noise,

24 He said unto them, Get you hence: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

25 And when the multitude were put forth, he went in and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

26 And this bruit went throughout all that land.

27 [n]And as Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, O son of David, have mercy upon us.

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind came to him, and Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? And they said unto him, Yea, Lord.

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

30 And their eyes were opened, and Jesus gave them great charge, saying, See that no man know it.

31 But when they were departed, they spread abroad his fame throughout all that land.

32 (G)[o]And as they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: then the multitude marveled, saying, The like was never seen in Israel.

34 But the Pharisees said, (H)He casteth out devils, through the prince of devils.

35 ¶ And (I)Jesus went about all cities and towns, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 [p]But (J)when he saw the multitude, he had compassion upon them, because they were dispersed, and scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then said he to his disciples, (K)Surely the harvest is great, but the laborers are few.

38 Wherefore pray the Lord of the harvest, that he would [q]send forth laborers into his harvest.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:1 Sins are the causes of our afflictions, and Christ only forgiveth them if we believe.
  2. Matthew 9:1 Into Capernaum, for as Theophylact saith, Bethlehem brought him forth, Nazareth brought him up, and Capernaum was his dwelling place.
  3. Matthew 9:2 Knowing by a manifest sign.
  4. Matthew 9:3 To blaspheme, signifieth amongst the divines to speak wickedly: and amongst the more eloquent Grecians, to slander.
  5. Matthew 9:9 Christ calleth the humble sinners unto him, but he condemneth the proud hypocrites.
  6. Matthew 9:9 At the customer’s table, where it was received.
  7. Matthew 9:10 The customers fellows which were placed by the Romans, after that Judea was brought into the form of a province, to gather the customs, and therefore of the rest of the Jews, they were called sinners, that is to say very vile men.
  8. Matthew 9:14 Against naughty emulation in matters indifferent.
  9. Matthew 9:15 An Hebrew kind of speech, for they that are admitted into a marriage chamber are as the nearest about the bridegroom.
  10. Matthew 9:16 Raw, which was never put to the fuller.
  11. Matthew 9:18 There is no evil so old and incurable, which Christ cannot heal by and by, if he be touched with true faith, but lightly as it were with the hand.
  12. Matthew 9:23 Even death itself giveth place to the power of Christ.
  13. Matthew 9:23 It appeareth that they used minstrels at their mournings.
  14. Matthew 9:27 By healing these two blind, Christ showeth that he is the light of the world.
  15. Matthew 9:32 An example of that power that Christ hath over the devil.
  16. Matthew 9:36 Although the ordinary pastors cease, yet Christ hath not cast off the care of his Church.
  17. Matthew 9:38 Word for word, cast them out: for men are very slow in so holy a work.