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.

Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing 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.

He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of 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.

He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. 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 finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put 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.”

Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but 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.

When they had done this, they caught a great multitude 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.

They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both 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.”

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

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

For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

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, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

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

When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

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.”

While he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, 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.

He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” 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.”

He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

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

But the report concerning him spread much 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

But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.

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.

On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him 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.

Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.

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.

Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.

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

Seeing 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?”

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that 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 Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so 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, ‘Arise 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 authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, 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, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his 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

Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

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 said to him, “Follow me!”

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

He left everything, and 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.

Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining 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?”

Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the 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 them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

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.”

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?”

They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples 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?

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.

He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will 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.

No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

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

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

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

No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”