Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

1. And stepping into the boat, he crossed over and came into his own city.
2. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed; and seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, child; your sins are forgiven.”
3. And behold, some of the scribes said among themselves, “This man blasphemes.”
4. And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?”
5. “For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?”
6. “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins”, then he says to the paralytic, “Rise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
7. And rising, he went to his house.
8. And seeing this, the crowds feared and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

The Calling of Matthew

9. And Jesus, passing on from there, saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he says to him, “Follow me,” and rising, he followed him.
10. And it happened, as Jesus was reclining at table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined together with Jesus and his disciples.
11. And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12. But he, hearing this, said, “Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”
13. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners to repentance.”

A Question About Fasting

14. Then the disciples of John come to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”
15. And Jesus said to them, “Can the sons of the bridal chamber mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom is taken 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 results.”
17. “Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A Ruler’s Daughter Restored and a Woman Healed

18. While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler approached and bowed before him, saying, “My daughter has just now died; but come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
19. And rising, Jesus and his disciples followed him.
20. And behold, a woman who had been suffering a flow of blood for twelve years approached from behind and touched the fringe of his garment.
21. For she was saying within herself, “If only I may touch his garment, I will be made well.”
22. And Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, “Take courage, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that same hour.
23. And when Jesus came into the house of the ruler and saw the flute-players and the noisy crowd wailing,
24. He said, “Withdraw; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him.
25. But when the crowd had been put outside, he entered and took her hand, and the girl rose.
26. And the report of this went out into all that region.

Two Blind Men and a Mute Demoniac

27. And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”
28. And when he had entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus says to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They say to him, “Yes, Lord.”
29. Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be to you.”
30. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows.”
31. But they, going out, spread his fame in all that land.
32. And as they were going out, behold, they brought to him a mute man possessed by a demon.
33. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, “Never has such a thing appeared in Israel.”
34. But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

The Compassion of Jesus

35. And Jesus went around all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every weakness.
36. And seeing the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and cast down like sheep having no shepherd.
37. Then he says to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is great, but the workers are few.”
38. “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out workers into his harvest.”