Matthew 9
English Standard Version
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
9 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to (A)his own city. 2 (B)And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus (C)saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, (D)“Take heart, my son; (E)your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, (F)“This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, (G)knowing[a] their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, (H)they were afraid, and (I)they glorified God, who had (J)given such authority to men.
Jesus Calls Matthew
9 (K)As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called (L)Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus[b] reclined at table in the house, behold, many (M)tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, (N)“Why does your teacher eat with (O)tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn (P)what this means: (Q)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For (R)I came not to call the righteous, (S)but sinners.”
A Question About Fasting
14 Then (T)the disciples of John came to him, saying, (U)“Why do we and (V)the Pharisees fast,[c] but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, (W)“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? (X)The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and (Y)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 (Z)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 (AA)While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and (AB)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 (AC)who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched (AD)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, (AE)“Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” (AF)And instantly[d] the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw (AG)the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for (AH)the girl is not dead but (AI)sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But (AJ)when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and (AK)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 (AL)And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, (AM)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 (AN)Then he touched their eyes, saying, (AO)“According to your faith let it be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, (AP)“See that no one knows about it.” 31 (AQ)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 (AR)demon-oppressed man who was mute (AS)was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds (AT)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 (AU)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 (AV)When he saw the crowds, (AW)he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, (AX)like sheep without a shepherd. 37 (AY)Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore (AZ)pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to (BA)send out laborers into his harvest.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 9:4 Some manuscripts perceiving
- Matthew 9:10 Greek he
- Matthew 9:14 Some manuscripts add much, or often
- Matthew 9:22 Greek from that hour
Matthew 9
1599 Geneva Bible
9 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.
1 Then he [a]entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his [b]own city.
2 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.
3 And behold, certain of the Scribes said with themselves, This man [d]blasphemeth.
4 But when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said, Wherefore think ye evil things in your hearts?
5 For whether is it easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 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.
7 And he arose, and departed to his own house.
8 So when the multitude saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such authority to men.
9 ¶ (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
- Matthew 9:1 Sins are the causes of our afflictions, and Christ only forgiveth them if we believe.
- Matthew 9:1 Into Capernaum, for as Theophylact saith, Bethlehem brought him forth, Nazareth brought him up, and Capernaum was his dwelling place.
- Matthew 9:2 Knowing by a manifest sign.
- Matthew 9:3 To blaspheme, signifieth amongst the divines to speak wickedly: and amongst the more eloquent Grecians, to slander.
- Matthew 9:9 Christ calleth the humble sinners unto him, but he condemneth the proud hypocrites.
- Matthew 9:9 At the customer’s table, where it was received.
- 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.
- Matthew 9:14 Against naughty emulation in matters indifferent.
- Matthew 9:15 An Hebrew kind of speech, for they that are admitted into a marriage chamber are as the nearest about the bridegroom.
- Matthew 9:16 Raw, which was never put to the fuller.
- 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.
- Matthew 9:23 Even death itself giveth place to the power of Christ.
- Matthew 9:23 It appeareth that they used minstrels at their mournings.
- Matthew 9:27 By healing these two blind, Christ showeth that he is the light of the world.
- Matthew 9:32 An example of that power that Christ hath over the devil.
- Matthew 9:36 Although the ordinary pastors cease, yet Christ hath not cast off the care of his Church.
- Matthew 9:38 Word for word, cast them out: for men are very slow in so holy a work.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.

