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

And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed to the other side and came to His own town [Capernaum].

And behold, they brought to Him a man paralyzed and prostrated by illness, lying on a sleeping pad; and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven and the [a]penalty remitted.

And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes [He claims the rights and prerogatives of God]!

But Jesus, knowing ([b]seeing) their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil and harbor [c]malice in your hearts?

For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven and the [d]penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk?

But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins and [e]remit the penalty, He then said to the paralyzed man, Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad and go to your own house.

And he got up and went away to his own house.

When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they [f]recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s office; and He said to him, [g]Be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me]. And he rose and followed Him.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [h][especially wicked] sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those [preeminently] sinful?

12 But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick.

13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, [i]readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).(A)

14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast [j]often, [that is, abstain from food and drink as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?

15 And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 And no one puts a piece of cloth that has not been shrunk on an old garment, for such a patch tears away from the garment and a worse rent (tear) is made.

17 Neither is new wine put in old wineskins; for if it is, the skins burst and are [k]torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.

18 While He was talking this way to them, behold, a ruler entered and, kneeling down, worshiped Him, saying, My daughter has just [l]now died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will come to life.

19 And Jesus got up and accompanied him, with His disciples.

20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment;(B)

21 For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.

22 Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health.

23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making an uproar and din,

24 He said, Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed and jeered at Him.

25 But when the crowd had been ordered to go outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 And the news about this spread through all that district.

27 As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting loudly, Have pity and mercy on us, Son of David!

28 When He reached the house and went in, 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 Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you;

30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus earnestly and sternly charged them, See that you let no one know about this.

31 But they went off and blazed and spread His fame abroad throughout that whole district.

32 And while they were going away, behold, a dumb man under the power of a demon was brought to Jesus.

33 And when the demon was driven out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds were stunned with bewildered wonder, saying, Never before has anything like this been seen in Israel.

34 But the Pharisees said, He drives out demons through and with the help of the prince of demons.

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and every weakness and infirmity.

36 When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd.(C)

37 Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few.

38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to [m]force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:2 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  2. Matthew 9:4 Many manuscripts so read.
  3. Matthew 9:4 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  4. Matthew 9:5 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  5. Matthew 9:6 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  6. Matthew 9:8 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  7. Matthew 9:9 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  8. Matthew 9:10 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
  9. Matthew 9:13 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  10. Matthew 9:14 Many manuscripts so read.
  11. Matthew 9:17 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  12. Matthew 9:18 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  13. Matthew 9:38 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.