Beginning
A Paralytic Healed
9 And getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own town.[a] 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher, and when[b] Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” 4 And knowing[c] their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home.” 7 And he got up and[d] went to his home. 8 But when[e] the crowds saw this,[f] they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
Matthew Called to Follow Jesus
9 And as[g] Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, “Follow me!” And he stood up and[h] followed him.
10 And it happened as[i] he was dining[j] in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners were coming and[k] dining[l] with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when they[m] saw it,[n] the Pharisees began to say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 And when he[o] heard it,[p] he said, “Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those who are sick.[q] 13 But go and[r] learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.”[s] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
On Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John[t] approached him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The bridegroom’s attendants[u] are not able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them. But days are coming when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 But no one puts a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment, for its patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear becomes worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise[v] the wineskins burst and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are destroyed. But they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”
A Woman Healed and a Daughter Raised
18 As[w] he was saying these things to them, behold, one of the rulers came and[x] knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter has just now died, but come, place your hand on her and she will live!” 19 And Jesus and his disciples got up and[y] followed him. 20 And behold, a woman who had been suffering with a hemorrhage twelve years approached from behind and[z] touched the edge[aa] of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak I will be healed.” 22 But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that hour.
23 And when[ab] Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd, 24 he said, “Go away, because the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, he entered and[ac] took her hand, and the girl got up. 26 And this report went out into that whole region.
Two Blind Men Healed
27 And as[ad] Jesus was going away from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 And when he[ae] came into the house, the blind men approached 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 let it be done for you.” 30 And their eyes were opened, and Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one finds out.” 31 But they went out and[af] spread the report about him in that whole region.
A Demon Expelled
32 Now as[ag] they were going away, behold, they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak. 33 And after[ah] the demon had been expelled, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were astonished, saying, “This has never been seen before[ai] in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees were saying,[aj] “By the ruler of demons he expels the demons!”
A Plentiful Harvest But Few Workers
35 And Jesus was going around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every[ak] disease and every[al] sickness. 36 And when he[am] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep that did not have a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest.”
The Twelve Commissioned and Sent Out
10 And summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could expel them[an] and could heal every[ao] disease and every[ap] sickness. 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James[aq] 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, 4 Simon the Zealot,[ar] and Judas Iscariot—the one who also betrayed him.
5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them saying, “Do not go on the road to the Gentiles, and do not enter into a city of the Samaritans, 6 but go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you[as] are going, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ 8 Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9 Do not procure gold or silver or copper for your belts. 10 Do not take a traveler’s bag for the road, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the worker is deserving of his provisions. 11 And into whatever town or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you depart. 12 And when you[at] enter into the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you[au] are going out of that house or that[av] town. 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!
Persecution of Disciples Predicted
16 “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils, and they will flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before both governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how to speak[aw] or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour. 20 For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you.
21 “And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his children, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved. 23 And whenever they persecute you in this town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will never finish going through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?
Fear God Rather Than People
26 “Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, but instead be afraid of the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?[ax] And one of them will not fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent[ay] of your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all numbered! 31 Therefore do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
Not Peace, But a Sword of Divisiveness
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And the enemies of a man will be the members of his household.[az] 37 The one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.
On Rewards
40 “The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will never lose his reward.”
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software