1After getting into a boat he crossed to the other side and came to his own town.
2Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”
3Then some of the experts in the law said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
4When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts?
5Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?
6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – then he said to the paralytic – “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”
7And he stood up and went home.
8When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men.
The Call of Matthew; Eating with Sinners
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.
10As Jesus was having a meal in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.
11When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12When Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.
13Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The Superiority of the New
14Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
15Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
16No 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.
17And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”
Restoration and Healing
18As 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.”
19Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.
20But a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.
21For she kept saying to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed from that hour.
23When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd,
24he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him.
25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and gently took her by the hand, and the girl got up.
26And the news of this spread throughout that region.
Healing the Blind and Mute
27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28When he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”
29Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
30And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.”
31But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that entire region.
32As they were going away, a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him.
33After 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!”
34But the Pharisees said, “By the ruler of demons he casts out demons.”
Workers for the Harvest
35Then Jesus went throughout all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.
36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”