Luke 5

Calling of the First Disciples—Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:14–20

1 One day Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee. The people crowded around him as they listened to God’s word.2 Jesus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets.

3 So Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowd from the boat.
4 When he finished speaking, he told Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and lower your nets to catch some fish.”5 Simon answered, “Teacher, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.”6 After the men had done this, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.

7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. Their partners came and filled both boats until the boats nearly sank.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord! I’m a sinful person!”9 Simon and everyone who was with him was amazed to see the large number of fish they had caught.

10 James and John, who were Zebedee’s sons and Simon’s partners, were also amazed.
Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people instead of fish.”11 Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.

Jesus Cures a Man With a Skin Disease—Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–44

12 One day Jesus was in a city where there was a man covered with a serious skin disease. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground. He begged Jesus, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.”t13 Jesus reached out, touched him, and said, “I want to. So be clean!” Immediately, his skin disease went away.14 Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone. Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifice as Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”15 The news about Jesus spread even more. Large crowds gathered to hear him and have their diseases cured.

16 But he would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer.

Jesus Forgives Sins—Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12

17 One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in Moses’ Teachings were present. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. Jesus had the power of the Lord to heal.18 Some men brought a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They tried to take him into the house and put him in front of Jesus.

19 But they could not find a way to get him into the house because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. They made an opening in the tiles and let the man down on his stretcher among the people. (They lowered him in front of Jesus.)
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Sir, your sins are forgiven.”

21 The scribes and the Pharisees thought, “Who is this man? He’s dishonoring God! Who besides God can forgive sins?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “What are you thinking?23 Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

24 I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
25 The man immediately stood up in front of them and picked up the stretcher he had been lying on. Praising God, he went home.26 Everyone was amazed and praised God. They were filled with awe and said, “We’ve seen things today we can hardly believe!”

Jesus Chooses Levi [Matthew] to Be a Disciple—Matthew 9:9–13; Mark 2:13–17

27 After that, Jesus left. He saw a tax collector named Levi sitting in a tax office. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!”

28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Levi held a large reception at his home for Jesus. A huge crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.30 The Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples. They asked, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do.

32 I’ve come to call sinners to change the way they think and act, not to call people who think they don’t have any flaws.”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting—Matthew 9:14–17; Mark 2:18–22

33 They said to him, “John’s disciples frequently fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. But your disciples eat and drink.”34 Jesus asked them, “Can you force wedding guests to fast while the groom is still with them?

35 The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. At that time they will fast.”
36 He also used these illustrations: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new coat to patch an old coat. Otherwise, the new cloth will tear the old. Besides, the patch from the new will not match the old.37 People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will make the skins burst. The wine will run out, and the skins will be ruined.

38 Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.
39 “No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better!’ ”

Luke 5

1 Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;2 and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.3 And he entered 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 out of the boat.4 And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.5 And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets.6 And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking;7 and they beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.9 For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken;10 and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.12 And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.13 And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.15 But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities.16 But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed.17 And it came to pass on one of those 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 the power of the Lord was with him to heal.18 And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him.19 And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus.20 And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?22 But Jesus perceiving their reasonings, answered and said unto them, Why reason ye in your hearts?23 Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house.25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.26 And amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.27 And after these things he went forth, and beheld a publican, named Levi, sitting at the place of toll, and said unto him, Follow me.28 And he forsook all, and rose up and followed him.29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house: and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them.30 And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners?31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick.32 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.33 And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.34 And Jesus said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?35 But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days.36 And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.37 And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish.38 But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins.39 And no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good.