Matthew 9-10

Christian Standard Bible

The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

9 So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town.^{(A) 2} 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)

³ At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!” ^(D)

⁴ Perceiving their thoughts,^(E) Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?^{[b] 5} For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ 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.” ⁷ So he got up and went home. ⁸ 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

⁹ 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.”

Commissioning the Twelve

10 Summoning his twelve disciples,^(AG) he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every^[q] disease and sickness.^{[r](AH) 2} These are the names of the twelve apostles:^(AI) First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;^{[s] 4} Simon the Zealot,^[t] and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.^(AJ)

⁵ Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan^(AK) town. ⁶ Instead, go to the lost sheep^(AL) of the house of Israel.^{(AM) 7} As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’^{(AN) 8} Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy,^[u] drive out demons.^(AO) Freely you received, freely give. ⁹ Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.^{(AP) 10} Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker^(AQ) is worthy of his food. ¹¹ When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² Greet a household when you enter it,^{(AR) 13} and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.^{(AS) 14} If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet^(AT) when you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment^(AU) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.^(AV)

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.^{(AW) 17} Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts^[v] and flog you in their synagogues.^{(AX) 18} You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.^{(AY) 19} But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak.^(AZ) For you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰ because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit^(BA) of your Father is speaking through you.^(BB)

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.^{(BC) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of my name.^(BD) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.^{(BE) 23} When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.^(BF) For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴ A disciple^[w] is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.^{(BG) 25} It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!^(BH)

Fear God

²⁶ “Therefore,^(BI) don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.^{(BJ) 27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper,^[x] proclaim on the housetops.^{(BK) 28} Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; ^(BL) rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.^{(BM) 29} Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?^[y] Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s^(BN) consent.^{[z] 30} But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.^{(BO) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(BP)

Acknowledging Christ

³² “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.^{(BQ) 33} But whoever denies me before others,^(BR) I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. ³⁴ Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.^{(BS) 35} For I came to turn

³⁷ The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; ^(BU) the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Anyone who finds his life will lose it,^(BV) and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.^(BW)

A Cup of Cold Water

⁴⁰ “The one who welcomes you welcomes me,^(BX) and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.^{(BY) 41} Anyone who welcomes a prophet^(BZ) because he is a prophet^[ab] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous^[ac] will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives^(CA) even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple,^[ad](CB) truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”