Matthew 9

1 And climbing into a boat, he crossed the sea, and he arrived at his own city.2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Be strengthened in faith, son; your sins are forgiven you.”3 And behold, some of the scribes said within themselves, “He is blaspheming.”4 And when Jesus had perceived their thoughts, he said: “Why do you think such evil in your hearts?5 Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?’6 But, so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he then said to the paralytic, “Rise up, take up your bed, and go into your house.”7 And he arose and went into his house.8 Then the crowd, seeing this, was frightened, and they glorified God, who gave such power to men.9 And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And rising up, he followed him.10 And it happened that, as he was sitting down to eat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners arrived, and they sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples.11 And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”12 But Jesus, hearing this, said: “It is not those who are healthy who are in need of a physician, but those who have maladies.13 So then, go out and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the just, but sinners.”14 Then the disciples of John drew near to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples do not fast?”15 And Jesus said to them: “How can the sons of the groom mourn, while the groom is still with them? But the days will arrive when the groom will be taken away from them. And then they shall fast.16 For no one would sew a patch of new cloth onto an old garment. For it pulls its fullness away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.17 Neither do they pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wineskins rupture, and the wine pours out, and the wineskins are destroyed. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins. And so, both are preserved.”18 As he was speaking these things to them, behold, a certain ruler approached and adored him, saying: “Lord, my daughter has recently passed away. But come and impose your hand upon her, and she will live.”19 And Jesus, rising up, followed him, with his disciples.20 And behold, a woman, who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years, approached from behind and touched the hem of his garment.21 For she said within herself, “If I will touch even his garment, I shall be saved.”22 But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said: “Be strengthened in faith, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.23 And when Jesus had arrived in the house of the ruler, and he had seen the musicians and the tumultuous crowd,24 he said, “Depart. For the girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they derided him.25 And when the crowd had been sent away, he entered. And he took her by the hand. And the girl rose up.26 And the news of this went out to that entire land.27 And as Jesus passed from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, “Take pity on us, Son of David.”28 And when he had arrived at the house, the blind men approached him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you trust that I am able to do this for you?” They say to him, “Certainly, Lord.”29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, so let it be done for you.”30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus warned them, saying, “See to it that no one knows of this.”31 But going out, they spread the news of it to all that land.32 Then, when they had departed, behold, they brought him a man who was mute, having a demon.33 And after the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds wondered, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.”34 But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of demons does he cast out demons.”35 And Jesus traveled throughout all of the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every illness and every infirmity.36 Then, seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were distressed and were reclining, like sheep without a shepherd.37 Then he said to his disciples: “The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few.38 Therefore, petition the Lord of the harvest, so that he may sent out laborers to his harvest.”

Matthew 9

Healing and Forgiving a Paralytic

1 After getting into a boat he crossed to the other side and came to his own town.s2 Just thent some peoplet brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.t When Jesus saw theirs faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”s3 Thent some of the experts in the lawt said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”s4 When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts?5 Which is easier,s to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?6 But so that you may knows that the Son of Mans has authority on earth to forgive sins” – then he said to the paralytics – “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”t7 And he stood up and went home.t

8 Whent the crowd saw this, they were afraids and honored God who had given such authority to men.t

The Call of Matthew; Eating with Sinners

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth.ts “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.10 Ast Jesust was having a mealts in Matthew’st house, many tax collectorss and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.11 When the Phariseess saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”s12 Whent Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.s

13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’s For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Superiority of the New

14 Then John’ss disciples came to Jesust and asked, “Why do we and the Phariseess fast often,s but your disciples don’t fast?”15 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guestst cannot mourn while the bridegrooms is with them, can they? But the dayst are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them,s and then they will fast.16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, because the patch will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse.

17 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins;s otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskinss and both are preserved.”

Restoration and Healing

18 As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.”19 Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.20 Butt a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edges of his cloak.t21 For she kept saying to herself,t “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.”ts22 But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well.”t And the woman was healedt from that hour.23 When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd,24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him.t25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and gently took her by the hand, and the girl got up.

26 And the news of this spread throughout that region.t

Healing the Blind and Mute

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting,t “Have mercys on us, Son of David!”s28 Whent he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesust said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”29 Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.”

31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that entire region.t
32 Ast they were going away,t a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him.33 After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!”

34 But the Phariseess said, “By the rulert of demons he casts out demons.”s

Workers for the Harvest

35 Then Jesus went throughout all the townst and villages, teaching in their synagogues,s preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.t36 Whent he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless,t like sheep without a shepherd.37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvests to send outt workers into his harvest.”