1 S o it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,

Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;

2 a nd saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.

3 T hen He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.

4 W hen He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 B ut Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

Simon answered and said, “ Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.”

6 A nd when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;

7 S o they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.

8 W hen Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

9 F or he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;

For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;

10 a nd so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “ Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”

11 S o when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Jesus Cleanses a Leper

When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. The Leper and the Paralytic

12 A nd it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

13 T hen He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.

And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.

14 A nd He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

15 H owever, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

16 S o He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

17 N ow it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.

18 T hen behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.

And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.

19 A nd when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

20 W hen He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

Seeing their faith, He said, “ Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

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

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “ Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

22 B ut when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

23 W hich is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’?

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

24 B ut that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” —He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” —He said to the paralytic— “I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.”

25 I mmediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

26 A nd they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” Matthew the Tax Collector

They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Call of Levi (Matthew)

27 A fter these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.”

After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.”

28 S o he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.

29 T hen Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.

And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.

30 A nd their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”

31 J esus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “ It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

33 T hen they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

And they said to Him, “ The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”

34 A nd He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?

35 B ut the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

36 T hen He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.

And He was also telling them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.

37 A nd no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.

38 B ut new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.

39 A nd no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”

And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’”