Matthew 9
Amplified Bible
A Paralytic Healed
9 And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed over the Sea of Galilee and came to [Capernaum] His own city.
2 They brought to Him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a stretcher. Seeing their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], Jesus said to the paralytic, “Do not be afraid, son; your sins are forgiven [the penalty is paid, the guilt removed, and you are declared to be in right standing with God].”(A) 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes [by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God]!” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven and the penalty paid,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? [Both are possible for God; both are impossible for man.] 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority and the power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home [healed and forgiven]. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God and praised Him, who had given such authority and power to men.
Matthew Called
9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” And Matthew got up and followed Him.(B)
10 Then as Jesus was reclining at the table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and [a]sinners [including non-observant Jews] came and ate with Him and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but [only] those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal] sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance] the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change], but sinners [those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness].”(C)
The Question about Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John [the Baptist] came to Jesus, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus replied to them, “Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 But no one puts a piece of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 Nor is new wine put into old [b]wineskins [that have lost their elasticity]; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the [fermenting] wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, so both are preserved.”
Miracles of Healing
18 While He was saying these things to them, a ruler (synagogue official) entered [the house] and kneeled down and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just now died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”(D) 19 Jesus got up and began to accompany the ruler, with His disciples.
20 Then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the [tassel] fringe of His outer robe;(E) 21 for she had been saying to herself, “If I only touch His outer robe, I will be healed.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Take courage, daughter; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.” And at once the woman was [completely] healed.
23 When Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players [who were professional, hired mourners] and the [grieving] crowd making an uproar, 24 He said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.” And they laughed and jeered at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent outside, Jesus went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And the news about this spread throughout all that district.
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, screaming loudly, “Have mercy and compassion on us, [c]Son of David (Messiah)!” 28 When He went into the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith [your trust and confidence in My power and My ability to heal] it will be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus [d]sternly warned them: “See that no one knows this!” 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole district.
32 While they were going away, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out [by Jesus], the mute man spoke; and the crowds wondered in amazement, saying, “Never before has anything like this [miracle] been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by [the power of] the ruler of demons.”
35 Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].
36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd.(F) 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 9:10 This description would include non-observant Jews, those who rejected Pharisaic ordinances and interpretations of the Law, as well as others who flaunted the rules of morality and civil law.
- Matthew 9:17 A skin was a bag made from the skin of an animal. New wine was always put in a new bag so that the bag would stretch as the wine continued to ferment, and then the bag would harden. An old bag would burst if new wine was put in it.
- Matthew 9:27 A common reference to the Messiah as a descendant of David.
- Matthew 9:30 In Greek this term suggests an emotional indignation or violent displeasure. It occurs five times in the NT (four times in reference to Jesus’ words or feelings): Matt 9:30; Mark 1:43; 14:5; John 11:33, 38.
Mattityahu 9
Orthodox Jewish Bible
9 And, having embarked into a sirah (boat), Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach crossed over [to the other side of the lake] and came into his own shtetl.
2 And hinei! They brought to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach a paralytic lying upon a mat. Having seen their emunah, he said to the paralytic, Chazak! (Be strong!) Selicha (forgiveness) is granted on your averos (sins)!
3 And hinei! Some of the Sofrim said to themselves, This one commits Chillul Hashem! [VAYIKRA 22:32]
4 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, reading their minds, said, Why are you thinking ra’ah (evil) in your levavot (hearts)?
5 For which is easier to say, Selicha is granted on your averos! Or...Arise and walk!?
6 But in order that you may have da’as that the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach] has samchut (authority) on earth to pronounce selicha (forgiveness) on chattaim (sins) Moshiach then declared to the paralytic, Arise, take up your mat and go to your bais (house).
7 And arising, he went away to his bais.
8 And having witnessed this, the multitudes experienced yirat Shomayim and gave kavod to Hashem, who had given such samchut to men.
9 And going away from there, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach saw a man called Mattityahu sitting in the tax office. And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to him, Follow me. And Mattityahu arose and followed him.
10 And it came about that while Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was sitting bimesibba (reclining) at tish (table) in the bais, hinei! Many mochesim (tax collectors) and choteim (sinners) came and were sitting bimesibba (reclining) at tish (table) with Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and his talmidim.
11 When the Perushim saw this, they were saying to Moshiach’s talmidim, Why does your Rebbe eat with the mochesim and the choteim?
12 But when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach heard this, he said, It is not the bariim (healthy ones) who have need of a rofeh (physician), but the cholim.
13 Go and learn what this means: CHESED CHAFATZTI VLO ZEVACH (I desire loving kindness and not sacrifice HOSHEA 6:6), for I have not come to call the tzaddikim but the choteim (sinners) [to teshuva].
14 Then Yochanan’s talmidim approached Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying, Why do we and the Perushim often undergo tzomot (fasts), but your talmidim do not undergo tzomot?
15 And Moshiach said to them, Surely the Bnei HaChuppah (wedding invitees) are not able to act as avelim (mourners) as long as the Choson (Bridegroom, i.e., Moshiach) is with them. But the days will come when the Choson is taken away from them, and then they will undergo tzomot.
16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.
17 Neither do men put yayin chadash (new wine) into old wineskins; otherwise, the wineskins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they pour yayin chadash into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
18 While Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was speaking these things to them one of the nichbadim (dignitaries) [of the shul] came and fell down before Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying, The bat (daughter) of me has just become niftar (passed away), but come lay your hand upon her and she will live.
19 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach got up and, with his talmidim, followed him.
20 And hinei! An isha (woman) hemorrhaging twelve years approached him from behind and touched the garment of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s tzitzit.
21 For she was saying to herself, If only I might touch his garment, I will receive refuah (healing).
22 Turning and seeing her, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Chazak, bat (daughter) of me! Your emunah has brought you refuah. And the isha was healed from that hour.
23 And having come into the bais (house) of the nichbad (dignitary), and having seen the flute players and the unruly crowd,
24 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying, Go away! For the yaldah is not among the mesim—she sleeps! And they were making leitzonus (mockery, fun) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
25 But when the crowd had been put outside, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went in and took the yaldah by the hand and the yaldah was made to stand up alive.
26 And this report went out into all that region.
27 And as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went on from there, two ivrim (blind men) followed him, shouting loudly, Chaneinu, Ben Dovid!
28 And when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach [Ben Dovid] entered the bais (house), the ivrim (blind men) approached him, and he says to them, Do you have emunah that I am able to do this? They say to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Ken, Adoneinu.
29 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach touched their eyes, saying, According to your emunah, let it be done for you.
30 And their eyes were opened. Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach sternly warned them, saying, See to it that no one knows!
31 But having gone out, they made him known in that entire district.
32 After they had departed, the people brought to him a mute man who was possessed by shedim.
33 And when the shedim had been cast out by Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, the mute man spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, Never was anything like this seen in Eretz Yisroel!
34 But the Perushim said, It was by the Sar HaShedim (the Prince of Demons) that this man casts out shedim!
35 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went about all the shtetlach and villages exercising the ministry of moreh (teacher) in their shuls and of darshan (preacher) of the Besuras HaGeulah of the Malchut Hashem and bringing refuah to all the cholim, every machla (disease) and every illness.
36 And looking out on the multitudes, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach felt rachmei Shomayim (heavenly compassion and mercy) for his people, for they were distressed and weary KATZON ASHER EIN LAHEM ROEH (like sheep without a shepherd BAMIDBAR 27:17).
37 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to his talmidim, The katzir (harvest) is indeed great but the kotzerim (harvesters) are few.
38 Therefore, offer tefillos to the Adon HaKatzir (the L-rd of the Harvest) that He may send out Kotzerim into His Katzir.
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