Matthew 8

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

1Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. 2Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

3Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 4Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.#8:4 See Lev 14:2-32. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

The Faith of a Roman Officer

5When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer#8:5 Greek a centurion; similarly in 8:8, 13. came and pleaded with him, 6“Lord, my young servant#8:6 Or child; also in 8:13. lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

7Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

8But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 11And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Jesus Heals Many People

14When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. 15But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.

16That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said,

“He took our sicknesses

and removed our diseases.”#8:17 Isa 53:4.

The Cost of Following Jesus

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.

19Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man#8:20 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. has no place even to lay his head.”

21Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

22But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.#8:22 Greek Let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

23Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

27The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Jesus Heals Two Demon-Possessed Men

28When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes,#8:28 Other manuscripts read Gerasenes; still others read Gergesenes. Compare Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26. two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.

29They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”

30There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. 31So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”

32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

33The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.

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Matthew 8

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

1When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2#Matt. 8:2–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–14And behold, a leper came and #Matt. 2:11; 9:18; 15:25; John 9:38; Acts 10:25worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy #Matt. 11:5; Luke 4:27was cleansed.

4And Jesus said to him, #Matt. 9:30; Mark 5:43; Luke 4:41; 8:56; 9:21“See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that #Lev. 14:3, 4, 10; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14Moses #Lev. 14:4–32; Deut. 24:8commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

5#Luke 7:1–3Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a #Matt. 27:54; Acts 10:1centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

7And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

8The centurion answered and said, “Lord, #Luke 15:19, 21I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only #Ps. 107:20speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11And I say to you that #(Gen. 12:3; Is. 2:2, 3; 11:10); Mal. 1:11; Luke 13:29; (Acts 10:45; 11:18; 14:27; Rom. 15:9–13; Eph. 3:6)many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But #(Matt. 21:43)the sons of the kingdom #Matt. 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28; 2 Pet. 2:17; Jude 13will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed

14#Matt. 8:14–16; Mark 1:29–31; Luke 4:38, 39Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw #1 Cor. 9:5his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. 15So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

Many Healed in the Evening

16#Mark 1:32–34; Luke 4:40, 41When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

#Is. 53:4; 1 Pet. 2:24“He Himself took our infirmities

And bore our sicknesses.”

The Cost of Discipleship

18And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19#Matt. 8:19–22; Luke 9:57, 58Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

20And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

21#Luke 9:59, 60Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, #1 Kin. 19:20let me first go and bury my father.”

22But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

23Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24#Mark 4:37; Luke 8:23–25And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

26But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then #Ps. 65:7; 89:9; 107:29He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Two Demon-Possessed Men Healed

28#Mark 5:1–4; Luke 8:26–33When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

30Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”

32And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

33Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, #Deut. 5:25; 1 Kin. 17:18; Amos 7:12; Luke 5:8; Acts 16:39they begged Him to depart from their region.

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