1 J esus got into a boat. He crossed over to the other side and came into His own city.

And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed to the other side and came to His own town.

2 T hey took a man to Him who was on his bed. This man was not able to move his body. Jesus saw their faith. He said, “Son, take hope. Your sins are forgiven.”

And behold, they brought to Him a man paralyzed and prostrated by illness, lying on a sleeping pad; and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted.

3 S ome of the teachers of the Law said to themselves, “This man speaks as if He is God, but He is not!”

And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes!

4 J esus knew what they were thinking. He said, “Why do you think bad thoughts in your hearts?

But Jesus, knowing ( seeing) their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil and harbor malice in your hearts?

5 W hich is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’

For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk?

6 B ut this is to show you that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” He said to the sick man, “Get up! Take your bed and go home.”

But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins and remit the penalty, He then said to the paralyzed man, Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad and go to your own house.

7 H e got up and went to his home.

And he got up and went away to his own house.

8 A ll the people saw this. They were surprised and wondered about it. Then they gave thanks to God because He had given such power to men. Jesus Calls Matthew

When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.

9 A s Jesus went from there, He saw a man called Matthew. Matthew was sitting at his work gathering taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” Matthew got up and followed Jesus.

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s office; and He said to him, Be My disciple. And he rose and followed Him.

10 J esus ate in Matthew’s house. Many men who gathered taxes and many who were sinners came to Matthew’s house and sat down with Jesus and His followers.

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples.

11 T he proud religious law-keepers saw this. They said to the followers of Jesus, “Why does your Teacher eat with men who gather taxes and with sinners?”

And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those sinful?

12 J esus heard them and said, “People who are well do not need a doctor.

But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick.

13 B ut go and understand these words, ‘I want loving-kindness and not a gift to be given.’ For I have not come to call good people. I have come to call those who are sinners.” Jesus Teaches about Going without Food So You Can Pray Better

Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy '> readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).

14 T hen the followers of John the Baptist came to Jesus. They asked, “Why do we and the proud religious law-keepers many times go without food so we can pray better? But Your followers never go without food so they can pray better.”

Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,, but Your disciples do not fast?

15 J esus said, “Can the friends at a wedding be sorry when the man just married is with them? But the days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better.

And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 “ No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because if the new piece pulls away, it makes the hole bigger.

And no one puts a piece of cloth that has not been shrunk on an old garment, for such a patch tears away from the garment and a worse rent (tear) is made.

17 M en do not put new wine into old skin bags. If they did, the skins would break and the wine would run out. The bags would be no good. They put new wine into new skin bags and both can be used.” Two Healed Through Faith

Neither is new wine put in old wineskins; for if it is, the skins burst and are torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.

18 W hile Jesus talked to them, a leader of the people came and got down before Him, and worshiped Him. He said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

While He was talking this way to them, behold, a ruler entered and, kneeling down, worshiped Him, saying, My daughter has just now died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will come to life.

19 J esus got up and followed him. His followers went also.

And Jesus got up and accompanied him, with His disciples.

20 J ust then a woman who had been sick with a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind. She touched the bottom of His coat.

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment;

21 S he said to herself, “If I only touch the bottom of His coat, I will be healed.”

For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.

22 T hen Jesus turned around. He saw her and said, “Daughter, take hope! Your faith has healed you.” At once the woman was healed.

Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health.

23 J esus came into the leader’s house. He saw the people playing music and making much noise.

And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making an uproar and din,

24 H e said to them, “Go now! For the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.” But they laughed at Him.

He said, Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed and jeered at Him.

25 H e sent the people outside. Then He went in and took the girl’s hand. She was raised up.

But when the crowd had been ordered to go outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 N ews of this went out into all the country. The Healing of Two Blind Men

And the news about this spread through all that district.

27 J esus went on from there. Two blind men followed Him. They called out, “Take pity on us, Son of David.”

As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting loudly, Have pity and mercy on us, Son of David!

28 J esus went into the house. The blind men came to Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do you have faith that I can do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Sir!”

When He reached the house and went in, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes, Lord.

29 T hen Jesus put His hands on their eyes and said, “You will have what you want because you have faith.”

Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance be it done to you;

30 T heir eyes were opened. Jesus told them to tell no one.

And their eyes were opened. And Jesus earnestly and sternly charged them, See that you let no one know about this.

31 B ut when they had gone, they told about Him everywhere in the country.

But they went off and blazed and spread His fame abroad throughout that whole district.

32 A s they went on their way, a man who had a demon and could not talk was brought to Jesus.

And while they were going away, behold, a dumb man under the power of a demon was brought to Jesus.

33 W hen the demon was put out of him, the man was able to talk. Many people were surprised and wondered about it. They said, “We have never seen in the nation of the Jews like this.”

And when the demon was driven out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds were stunned with bewildered wonder, saying, Never before has anything like this been seen in Israel.

34 B ut the proud religious law-keepers said, “He puts out demons by the help of the leader of the demons.”

But the Pharisees said, He drives out demons through and with the help of the prince of demons.

35 J esus went on to all the towns and cities. He taught in their places of worship. He preached the Good News of the holy nation of God. He healed every sickness and disease the people had.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and every weakness and infirmity.

36 A s He saw many people, He had loving-pity on them. They were troubled and were walking around everywhere. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd.

37 T hen He said to His followers, “There is much grain ready to gather. But the workmen are few.

Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few.

38 P ray then to the Lord Who is the Owner of the grain fields that He will send workmen to gather His grain.”

So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.