1 A nd it came to pass, as the crowd pressed on him to hear the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret:

2 a nd he saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen, having come down from them, were washing their nets.

3 A nd getting into one of the ships, which was Simon's, he asked him to draw out a little from the land; and he sat down and taught the crowds out of the ship.

4 B ut when he ceased speaking, he said to Simon, Draw out into the deep and let down your nets for a haul.

5 A nd Simon answering said to him, Master, having laboured through the whole night we have taken nothing, but at thy word I will let down the net.

6 A nd having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes. And their net broke.

7 A nd they beckoned to their partners who were in the other ship to come and help them, and they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were sinking.

8 B ut Simon Peter, seeing it, fell at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.

9 F or astonishment had laid hold on him, and on all those who were with him, at the haul of fishes which they had taken;

10 a nd in like manner also on James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not; henceforth thou shalt be catching men.

11 A nd having run the ships on shore, leaving all they followed him.

12 A nd it came to pass as he was in one of the cities, that behold, there was a man full of leprosy, and seeing Jesus, falling upon his face, he besought him saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou art able to cleanse me.

13 A nd stretching forth his hand he touched him, saying, I will; be thou cleansed: and immediately the leprosy departed from him.

14 A nd he enjoined him to tell no one; but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing as Moses ordained, for a testimony to them.

15 B ut the report concerning him was spread abroad still more, and great crowds came together to hear, and to be healed from their infirmities.

16 A nd he withdrew himself, and was about in the desert and praying.

17 A nd it came to pass on one of the days, that he was teaching, and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem; and Lord's power was to heal them.

18 A nd lo, men bringing upon a couch a man who was paralysed; and they sought to bring him in, and put before him.

19 A nd not finding what way to bring him in, on account of the crowd, going up on the housetop they let him down through the tiles, with his little couch, into the midst before Jesus.

20 A nd seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

21 A nd the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins but God alone?

22 B ut Jesus, knowing their reasonings, answering said to them, Why reason ye in your hearts?

23 w hich is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

24 B ut that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralysed man, I say to thee, Arise, and take up thy little couch and go to thine house.

25 A nd immediately standing up before them, having taken up that whereon he was laid, he departed to his house, glorifying God.

26 A nd astonishment seized all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.

27 A nd after these things he went forth and saw a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, sitting at the receipt of taxes, and said to him, Follow me.

28 A nd having left all, rising up, he followed him.

29 A nd Levi made a great entertainment for him in his house, and there was a great crowd of tax-gatherers and others who were at table with them.

30 A nd their scribes and the Pharisees murmured at his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with tax-gatherers and sinners?

31 A nd Jesus answering said to them, They that are in sound health have not need of a physician, but those that are ill.

32 I am not come to call righteous, but sinful to repentance.

33 A nd they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make supplications, in like manner those also of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink?

34 A nd he said to them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast when the bridegroom is with them?

35 B ut days will come when also the bridegroom will have been taken away from them; then shall they fast in those days.

36 A nd he spoke also a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise he will both rend the new, and the piece which is from the new will not suit with the old.

37 A nd no one puts new wine into old skins, otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed;

38 b ut new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved.

39 A nd no one having drunk old wine wishes for new, for he says, The old is better.