1 W hile Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, many people pushed to get near Him. They wanted to hear the Word of God.

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

2 J esus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen were not there because they were washing their nets.

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

3 J esus got into a boat which belonged to Simon. Jesus asked him to push it out a little way from land. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Then 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.

4 W hen He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Push out into the deep water. Let down your nets for some fish.”

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

5 S imon said to Him, “Teacher, we have worked all night and we have caught nothing. But because You told me to, I will let the net down.”

But 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.”

6 W hen they had done this, they caught so many fish, their net started to break.

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

7 T hey called to their friends working in the other boat to come and help them. They came and both boats were so full of fish they began to sink.

So 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.

8 W hen Simon Peter saw it, he got down at the feet of Jesus. He said, “Go away from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man.”

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

9 H e and all those with him were surprised and wondered about the many fish.

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

10 J ames and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised also. They were working together with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will fish for men.”

and 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.”

11 W hen they came to land with their boats, they left everything and followed Jesus. Jesus Heals a Man with a Bad Skin Disease

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

12 W hile Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came to Him with a bad skin disease over all his body. When he saw Jesus, he got down on his face before Him. He begged Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can heal me.”

And 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.”

13 J esus put His hand on him and said, “I will, be healed.” At once the disease went away from him.

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

14 T hen Jesus told him to tell no one. He said, “Go and let the religious leader of the Jews see you. Give the gift on the altar in worship that Moses told you to give when a man is healed of a disease. This will show the leaders you have been healed.”

And 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.”

15 T he news about Jesus went out all the more. Many people came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases.

However, 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.

16 T hen He went away by Himself to pray in a desert. Jesus Heals a Man Let Down through the Roof of a House

So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

17 O n one of the days while Jesus was teaching, some proud religious law-keepers and teachers of the Law were sitting by Him. They had come from every town in the countries of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there to heal them.

Now 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.

18 S ome men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was.

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

19 B ut they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus.

And 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.

20 W hen Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

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

21 T he teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers thought to themselves, “Who is this Man Who speaks as if He is God? Who can forgive sins but God only?”

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

22 J esus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, “Why do you think this way in your hearts?

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

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

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

24 “ So that you may know the Son of Man has the right and the power on earth to forgive sins,” He said to the man who could not move his body, “I say to you, get up. Take your bed and go to your home.”

But 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.”

25 A t once the sick man got up in front of them. He took his bed and went to his home thanking God.

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

26 A ll those who were there were surprised and gave thanks to God, saying, “We have seen very special things today.” Jesus Calls Matthew

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

27 A fter this Jesus went out and saw a man who gathered taxes. His name was Levi (Matthew). Levi was sitting at his work. Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”

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

28 L evi got up, left everything and followed Jesus.

So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

29 L evi made a big supper for Jesus in his house. Many men who gathered taxes and other people sat down with them.

Then 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.

30 T he teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers talked against the followers of Jesus. They said, “Why do You eat and drink with men who gather taxes and with sinners?”

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

31 J esus said to them, “People who are well do not need a doctor. Only those who are sick need a doctor.

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

32 I have not come to call good people. I have come to call sinners to be sorry for their sins and to turn from them.” Jesus Teaches about Going without Food So You Can Pray Better

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

33 T hey asked Jesus, “Why do the followers of John and of the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers keep on eating and drinking?”

Then 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?”

34 J esus answered them, “Can the friends at a wedding be sorry when the man just married is with them?

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

35 T he days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better in those days.” The Picture-Story of the Cloth and the Bags

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

36 T hen Jesus told them a picture-story. He said, “No one sews a piece of cloth from a new coat on an old coat. If he does, the new coat will have a hole. The new piece and the old coat will not be the same.

Then 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.

37 N o man puts 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.

And 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.

38 N ew wine must be put into new bags and both are kept safe.

But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

39 N o one wants new wine after drinking old wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better.’”

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