Chapter 9

The Healing of a Paralyzed Man.^{[a] 1} Therefore, Jesus got into a boat and, crossing over the lake, arrived at his hometown.^{[b] 2} Some people then approached him, carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. On perceiving their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven.”

³ On hearing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”^{[c] 4} Jesus perceived what they were thinking, and he said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts? ^5 [d]Which is easier, to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say: ‘Stand up and walk’? ⁶ But so that you may come to realize that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man—“Stand up, take your bed, and go to your home.” ⁷ The man got up and returned to his home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God for having given such authority to men.

Jesus Calls Matthew.^{[e] 9} As Jesus walked on from there, he noticed a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.

¹⁰ Jesus Dines with Sinners. When he was sitting at dinner in the house, many tax collectors^[f] and sinners were seated with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ On seeing this, the Pharisees said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² When Jesus heard this, he said, “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but rather those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn what this text means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

¹⁴ A Time of Joy and Grace.^[g] Then the disciples of John came to him and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast but your disciples do not do so?” ¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

¹⁶ “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak, because the patch eventually pulls away from the cloak and a worse tear results. ¹⁷ Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins, for if they do, the wineskins burst, the wine spills forth, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins. In this way both are preserved.”

¹⁸ Jesus Heals a Sick Woman and Raises a Dead Girl.^[h] While he was saying these things to them, an official^[i] came forward. He knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live.” ¹⁹ Jesus then rose and followed him, together with his disciples.

²⁰ Suddenly, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak. ²¹ For she thought to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I shall be healed.” ²² Jesus turned and saw her, and he said, “Take heart, daughter! Your faith has healed you.” And from that moment the woman was cured.

²³ When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players^[j] and the crowd making a commotion, ²⁴ he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead; she is asleep,”^[k] but they laughed at him. ²⁵ When the people had been sent outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the little girl stood up. ²⁶ And the news of this spread throughout the entire district.

²⁷ Jesus Heals Two Blind Men. As Jesus proceeded from there, two blind men followed him, crying out loudly, “Son of David,^[l] have pity on us.” ²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men approached him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They replied, “Yes, Lord, we do.” ²⁹ Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” ³⁰ And their sight was restored. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See to it that no one learns about this.” ³¹ But as soon as they had departed, they spread the news about him throughout that entire district.

³² Jesus Heals a Mute Demoniac. As they left, a man who was possessed and unable to speak was brought to him. ³³ When the demon had been driven out, the man who had been mute was able to speak. The crowds were amazed, and they said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” ³⁴ But the Pharisees responded, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”^[m]

³⁵ The Harvest Is Abundant.^[n] Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every kind of illness and disease. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were distressed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers for his harvest.”