Authority to Pardon Sins

9 After getting into a boat, Yeshua crossed over and came to His own town. ² Just then, some people brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a cot. And seeing their faith, Yeshua said to the paralyzed man, “Take courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”

³ Then some of the Torah scholars said among themselves, “This fellow blasphemes!”

⁴ And knowing their thoughts, Yeshua said, “Why are you entertaining evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins...” Then He tells the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your cot and go home.” ⁷ And he got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw it, they were afraid and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

A Physician for Sinners

⁹ As Yeshua was passing by from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he got up and followed Him.

¹⁰ Now it happened that when Yeshua was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Yeshua and His disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why does this Teacher of yours eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² But when He heard this, Yeshua said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a doctor, but those who are sick do. ¹³ Now go and learn what this means: ‘Mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.’^[a] For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but the sinful.”

Teaching New Ways

¹⁴ Then John’s disciples came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”^[b]

¹⁵ And Yeshua said to them, “The guests of the bridegroom cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

¹⁶ “And no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment and a worse tear happens. ¹⁷ Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, and the wine spills out and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Compassion in the Shepherd’s Touch

¹⁸ Just as He was saying these things to them, a synagogue leader came and began to bow before Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come lay Your hand on her and she will live.” ¹⁹ And Yeshua got up and began to follow him, with His disciples.

²⁰ Just then a woman, losing blood for twelve years,^[c] came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment. ²¹ For she kept saying to herself, “If only I touch His garment, I will be healed.”

²² But then Yeshua turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” He said, “your faith has made you well.” That very hour the woman was healed.

²³ When Yeshua came into the synagogue leader’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, ²⁴ He said, “Go away, for the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” And they began jeering at Him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been cleared out, He went in and took her hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And news of this spread all around that region.

²⁷ As Yeshua went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Ben-David, have mercy on us!”

²⁸ When He went into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Master,” they said to Him.

²⁹ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be done for you.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Yeshua warned them sternly, “See that no one knows.” ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about Him all around that region.

³² As they were going out, a mute man plagued by a demon was brought to Him. ³³ After the demon was driven out, the mute man started speaking. The crowds were astounded, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!” ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying, “By the prince of demons He drives out demons.”

³⁵ Now Yeshua was going around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. ³⁶ When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ^{[d] 37} Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send out workers into His harvest field.”

Instructions to the Twelve

10 Yeshua summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so they could drive them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. ² Now these are the names of the twelve emissaries: first, Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; Jacob the son of Zebedee and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; Jacob, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot,^[e] and Judah the man from Kriot,^[f] the one who also betrayed Him.

⁵ Yeshua sent out these twelve and ordered them, “Do not go to the Gentiles, and do not enter into any Samaritan town. ⁶ But go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with tzara’at, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give. ⁹ Do not get gold or silver or copper for your money belts, ¹⁰ or a bag for the journey, or two shirts,^[g] or sandals, or a walking stick; for the worker is entitled to his food.

¹¹ “Whatever town or village you shall enter, find out who in it is worthy and stay there until you leave. ¹² As you come into the house, greet it. ¹³ If the household is worthy, let your shalom come upon it. But if it’s not worthy, let your shalom return to you. ¹⁴ And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you leave that house or that town, shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵ Amen, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah^[h] on the Day of Judgment than for that town.

¹⁶ “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog^[i] you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you should say, for it shall be given to you in that hour what you should say. ²⁰ For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end shall be saved. ²³ Whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. Amen, I tell you, you will never finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

²⁶ “So do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed and nothing hidden that will not be made known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear in your ear, proclaim from the housetops! ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.^[j]

²⁹ “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?^[k] Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father’s consent. ³⁰ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.

³² “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring shalom on the earth; I did not come to bring shalom, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set

³⁷ “He who loves father or mother more than Me isn’t worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me isn’t worthy of Me. ³⁸ And whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me isn’t worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

⁴⁰ “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. ⁴¹ He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a tzaddik in the name of a tzaddik shall receive a tzaddik’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, amen I tell you, he shall never lose his reward.”

Signs and Wonders Bear Witness

11 When Yeshua had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their towns. ² Now when John heard in prison about the works of the Messiah, he sent word through his disciples ³ and said to Yeshua, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

⁴ Yeshua replied, “Go report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind see and the lame walk, those with tzara’at are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. ⁶ Blessed is the one who is not led to stumble because of Me.”^[m]

A Prophet Without Honor

⁷ Now as they were leaving, Yeshua began to talk to the crowd concerning John. “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ No? So what did you go out to see? A man dressed in finery? Look, those who wear finery are in the palaces of kings! ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written,

¹¹ “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser. Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Immerser until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated with violence, and the violent grasp hold of it. ¹³ For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until the time of John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears, let him hear!

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call to one other, saying,

¹⁸ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”^[o]

²⁰ Then Yeshua began to denounce the towns where most of His miracles had happened, because they did not turn from their sins. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,^[p] they would have turned long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² Nevertheless I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will go down to Sheol! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.”

Yeshua Teaches the Ways of His Father

²⁵ At that time Yeshua said in response, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and discerning and revealed them to infants. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this way was pleasing to You.

²⁷ “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son^[q] and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. ²⁸ Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’ ^{[r] 30} For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

9 Yeshua was telling them, “Amen, I tell you, there are some standing here who will never taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power!”

A Glimpse of His Glory

² After six days, Yeshua takes with Him Peter and Jacob and John, and brings them up a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became radiant and brilliantly white, whiter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. ⁴ Then Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Yeshua.

⁵ Peter responds to Yeshua, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let’s make three sukkot—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He didn’t know what to say, for they were terrified.)

⁷ Then a cloud came, overshadowing them;^[a] and out of the cloud came a voice, “This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” ^{[b] 8} Suddenly when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Yeshua.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, Yeshua ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose up from the dead. ¹⁰ They kept this word to themselves, discussing among themselves what it is to rise up from the dead. ¹¹ And they questioned Him, saying, “Why do the Torah scholars say that Elijah must come first?”

¹² Now He told them, “Indeed Elijah comes first;^[c] he restores all things. And how is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be treated with contempt? ^{[d] 13} I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”^[e]

The Secret of Prayer

¹⁴ When they came to the disciples, they saw a big crowd around them and the Torah scholars arguing with them. ¹⁵ Suddenly, when the whole crowd saw Yeshua, they were amazed and began running to greet Him. ¹⁶ He questioned them, “What are you arguing about with them?”

¹⁷ And a man from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes stiff. I told Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t!”

¹⁹ And answering them, He said, “Oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me.”

²⁰ They brought the boy to Yeshua. When the spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion. The boy fell to the ground and began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. ²¹ Yeshua asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

“Since he was a child,” the man answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion and help us!”

²³ “‘If You can’?” Yeshua said to him. “All things are possible for one who believes!”

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Yeshua saw that a crowd was gathering fast, He rebuked the unclean spirit, telling it, “I command you, deaf and mute spirit, come out of him and do not ever enter him again!”

²⁶ After howling and shaking the boy wildly, it came out. The boy became so much like a corpse that many were saying, “He’s dead!” ²⁷ But Yeshua took him by the hand and lifted him, and the boy stood up.

²⁸ After Yeshua came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him in private, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out except by prayer.”^[f]

³⁰ They left from there and passed through the Galilee. Yeshua didn’t want anyone to know, ³¹ for He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, three days later He will rise up.” ³² But the disciples didn’t understand this statement, and they were afraid to question Him about it.

The Secret of Childlike Humility

³³ Then they came to Capernaum. And when Yeshua was in the house, He began to ask the disciples, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet, because on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

³⁵ Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be least of all and the servant of everyone.” ³⁶ Taking a small child, He set him in the midst of them. And taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these children in My name, welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me, welcomes not Me but the One who sent Me.”

³⁸ John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”

³⁹ But Yeshua responded, “Don’t stop him! No one who does a miracle in My name will be able soon afterward to speak evil about Me. ⁴⁰ He who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Messiah, amen I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

⁴² “But whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea!”

The Secret of Salt

⁴³ “And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than, having two hands, to go to Gehenna,^[g] into the unquenchable fire. ^{(44)  [h] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter life lame than, having your two feet, to be thrown into Gehenna. ^{(46)  47} If your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into Gehenna, ⁴⁸ where

⁴⁹ “For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you flavor it? Have salt in yourselves, and keep shalom with one another.”