Matthew 9

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Man Who Can’t Walk

1So Jesus got into a boat, crossed over the lake again, and came to his own town. 2Some men brought him one of their friends who couldn’t walk and was lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Don’t be discouraged, son. Your sins are forgiven.”

3At this, some teachers of the law said to themselves, “This man has no right to talk like that, as if he were God!”

4Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking such bad things? 5Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’? 6But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man who couldn’t walk, “Get up, take your mat, and go home.” 7The man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with wonder, and they praised God for giving that kind of authority to a human being.

Jesus Chooses Matthew and Eats With His Friends

9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at a tax collection booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

10Jesus went to have dinner at Matthew’s house, and many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12When Jesus heard this, he responded, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. 13Go and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ I haven’t come to call those who are right with God. I’ve come for sinners.”

John’s Disciples Ask Jesus About Fasting

14One day John’s disciples came and asked Jesus, “We and the Pharisees often fast, or go without eating, so why don’t your disciples do the same?”

15Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the groom be sad while he’s with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16“People don’t sew a patch of new cloth onto old clothes. If they did, the new piece would pull away from the old and make the tear worse. 17And people don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they did, the skins would burst, the wine would run out, and the wineskins would be destroyed. No, people pour new wine into new wineskins, and then both are preserved.”

Jesus Heals a Dead Girl and a Suffering Woman

18While Jesus was saying this, a synagogue leader came and got down on his knees in front of Jesus. He said, “My daughter has just died. But if you come and place your hand on her, she will live again.” 19Jesus got up and went with him. His disciples came along too.

20On the way, a woman came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel on his clothes. She’d had a sickness for 12 years that had made her bleed, 21and she’d thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, I’ll be healed.”

22When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, “Don’t be discouraged, daughter. Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that very moment.

23When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house, he found flute players and a crowd of mourners. 24“Go away,” he told them, “the girl isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.” They all laughed at him. 25But after the crowd had moved outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26News of this spread through that whole area.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him. They called out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

28Jesus went indoors, and the blind men came to him. He asked them, “Do you believe that I can do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

29Then he touched their eyes and said, “May it happen to you just as you have believed.” 30Then they could see. Jesus warned them sternly, “Make sure that no one knows about this.” 31But they went out and spread the news about him all over that area.

32While they were going out, another man was brought to Jesus who was controlled by a demon that kept him from speaking. 33When the demon was driven out, the man became able to speak. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

34But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the power of the prince of demons.”

Jesus’ Concern for the Crowds

35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every illness and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he felt deep concern for them, because they looked ragged and bewildered, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but there are only a few workers. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.”

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Matthew 9

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

1Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2Some people brought to Jesus a man who was paralyzed and lying on a mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, young man. Your sins are forgiven.”

3Some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This man speaks as if he were God. That is blasphemy!”

4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil thoughts? 5Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6But I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Stand up, take your mat, and go home.” 7And the man stood up and went home. 8When the people saw this, they were amazed and praised God for giving power like this to human beings.

Jesus Chooses Matthew

9When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he stood up and followed Jesus.

10As Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with Jesus and his followers. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked Jesus’ followers, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12When Jesus heard them, he said, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. 13Go and learn what this means: ‘I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices.’ I did not come to invite good people but to invite sinners.”

Jesus’ Followers Are Criticized

14Then the followers of John came to Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast for a certain time, but your followers don’t?”

15Jesus answered, “The friends of the bridegroom are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.

16“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth over a hole in an old coat. If he does, the patch will shrink and pull away from the coat, making the hole worse. 17Also, people never pour new wine into old leather bags. Otherwise, the bags will break, the wine will spill, and the wine bags will be ruined. But people always pour new wine into new wine bags. Then both will continue to be good.”

Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

18While Jesus was saying these things, a leader of the synagogue came to him. He bowed down before Jesus and said, “My daughter has just died. But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live again.” 19So Jesus and his followers stood up and went with the leader.

20Then a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came behind Jesus and touched the edge of his coat. 21She was thinking, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

22Jesus turned and saw the woman and said, “Be encouraged, dear woman. You are made well because you believed.” And the woman was healed from that moment on.

23Jesus continued along with the leader and went into his house. There he saw the funeral musicians and many people crying. 24Jesus said, “Go away. The girl is not dead, only asleep.” But the people laughed at him. 25After the crowd had been thrown out of the house, Jesus went into the girl’s room and took hold of her hand, and she stood up. 26The news about this spread all around the area.

Jesus Heals More People

27When Jesus was leaving there, two blind men followed him. They cried out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

28After Jesus went inside, the blind men went with him. He asked the men, “Do you believe that I can make you see again?”

They answered, “Yes, Lord.”

29Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because you believe I can make you see again, it will happen.” 30Then the men were able to see. But Jesus warned them strongly, saying, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31But the blind men left and spread the news about Jesus all around that area.

32When the two men were leaving, some people brought another man to Jesus. This man could not talk because he had a demon in him. 33After Jesus forced the demon to leave the man, he was able to speak. The crowd was amazed and said, “We have never seen anything like this in Israel.”

34But the Pharisees said, “The prince of demons is the one that gives him power to force demons out.”

35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News about the kingdom, and healing all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. 36When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were hurting and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Jesus said to his followers, “There are many people to harvest but only a few workers to help harvest them. 38Pray to the Lord, who owns the harvest, that he will send more workers to gather his harvest.”

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