Matthew 9

Jesus Forgives Sins—Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26

1 Jesus got into a boat, crossed the sea, and came to his own city.

2 Some people brought him a paralyzed man on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Cheer up, friend! Your sins are forgiven.”3 Then some of the scribes thought, “He’s dishonoring God.”4 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking evil things?5 Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

6 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.”
7 So the man got up and went home.

8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such authority to humans.

Jesus Chooses Matthew to Be a Disciple—Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–32

9 When Jesus was leaving that place, he saw a man sitting in a tax office. The man’s name was Matthew. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” So Matthew got up and followed him.10 Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples.

11 The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 When Jesus heard that, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do.

13 Learn what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifices.’ I’ve come to call sinners, not people who think they don’t have any flaws.”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting—Mark 2:18–22; Luke 5:33–39

14 Then John’s disciples came to Jesus. They said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often but your disciples never do?”15 Jesus replied, “Can wedding guests be sad while the groom is still with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.16 “No one patches an old coat with a new piece of cloth that will shrink. When the patch shrinks, it will rip away from the coat, and the tear will become worse.

17 Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, people pour new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved.”

A Synagogue Leader’s Daughter and the Woman With Chronic Bleeding—Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56

18 A synagogue leader came to Jesus while he was talking to John’s disciples. He bowed down in front of Jesus and said, “My daughter just died. Come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”19 Jesus and his disciples got up and followed the man.20 Then a woman came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his clothes. She had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years.

21 She thought, “If I only touch his clothes, I’ll get well.”
22 When Jesus turned and saw her he said, “Cheer up, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” At that very moment the woman became well.23 Jesus came to the synagogue leader’s house. He saw flute players and a noisy crowd.

24 He said to them, “Leave! The girl is not dead. She’s sleeping.” But they laughed at him.
25 When the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in, took her hand, and the girl came back to life.26 The news about this spread throughout that region.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27 When Jesus left that place, two blind men followed him. They shouted, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”28 Jesus went into a house, and the blind men followed him. He said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?”“Yes, Lord,” they answered.29 He touched their eyes and said, “What you have believed will be done for you!”

30 Then they could see.
He warned them, “Don’t let anyone know about this!”

31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that region.

Jesus Forces a Demon out of a Man Who Couldn’t Talk

32 As they were leaving, some people brought a man to Jesus. The man was unable to talk because he was possessed by a demon.

33 But as soon as the demon was forced out, the man began to speak.
The crowds were amazed and said, “We have never seen anything like this in Israel!”34 But the Pharisees said, “He forces demons out of people with the help of the ruler of demons.”

Jesus’ Compassion for People

35 Jesus went to all the towns and villages. He taught in the synagogues and spread the Good News of the kingdom. He also cured every disease and sickness.36 When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were troubled and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but the workers are few.

38 So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.”

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.”