Matthew 9

Who Needs a Doctor?

1-3 Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus' hometown. They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, "Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins." Some religion scholars whispered, "Why, that's blasphemy!"

4-8 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, 'I forgive your sins,' or, 'Get up and walk'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . ." At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, "Get up. Take your bed and go home." And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.

9 Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, "Come along with me." Matthew stood up and followed him.

10-11 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?"

12-13 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."

Kingdom Come

14 A little later John's followers approached, asking, "Why is it that we and the Pharisees rigorously discipline body and spirit by fasting, but your followers don't?"

15 Jesus told them, "When you're celebrating a wedding, you don't skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but not now. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!"

16-17 He went on, "No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match. And you don't put your wine in cracked bottles."

Just a Touch

18-19 As he finished saying this, a local official appeared, bowed politely, and said, "My daughter has just now died. If you come and touch her, she will live." Jesus got up and went with him, his disciples following along.

20-22 Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well." Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: "Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you're well." The woman was well from then on.

23-26 By now they had arrived at the house of the town official, and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and the neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: "Clear out! This girl isn't dead. She's sleeping." They told him he didn't know what he was talking about. But when Jesus had gotten rid of the crowd, he went in, took the girl's hand, and pulled her to her feet—alive. The news was soon out, and traveled throughout the region.

Become What You Believe

27-28 As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, "Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!" When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, "Do you really believe I can do this?" They said, "Why, yes, Master!"

29-31 He touched their eyes and said, "Become what you believe." It happened. They saw. Then Jesus became very stern. "Don't let a soul know how this happened." But they were hardly out the door before they started blabbing it to everyone they met.

32-33 Right after that, as the blind men were leaving, a man who had been struck speechless by an evil spirit was brought to Jesus. As soon as Jesus threw the evil tormenting spirit out, the man talked away just as if he'd been talking all his life. The people were up on their feet applauding: "There's never been anything like this in Israel!"

34 The Pharisees were left sputtering, "Hocus-pocus. It's nothing but hocus-pocus. He's probably made a pact with the Devil."

35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!"

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.”