Matthew 9

Chapter 9

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

1 Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.

2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”

3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”
4 Jesus knewt what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?

6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Mant has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
7 And the man jumped up and went home!

8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.t

Jesus Calls Matthew

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.

11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?t”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”

13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’t For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

A Discussion about Fasting

14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fastt like we do and the Pharisees do?”

15 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Jesus Heals in Response to Faith

18 As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him.20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,

21 for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music.24 “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him.25 After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!

26 The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.

Jesus Heals the Blind

27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?”
“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.”

31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.
32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus.

33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.

34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

The Need for Workers

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

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.”