1 And it came to pass while the multitude was pressing on him to hear the word of God, and he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 that he saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered one of the ships, which was Simon s, and requested him to push out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitude from the ship.
4 And when he had made an end of speaking, he said to Simon: Push out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answered and said to him: Master, we have toiled all night and have caught nothing; but at thy command, I will let down the net.
6 And when they had done this, they inclosed a great number of fishes, and their net began to break;
7 and they beckoned to their partners who were in the other ship, to come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 And when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at the knees of Jesus, and said: Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.
9 For amazement at the draught of fishes which they had caught had seized upon him and all that were with him;
10 and in like manner also upon James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon: Fear not; from this time forth you shall catch men.
11 And when they had brought their ships to the land, they left all and followed him.
12 And it came to pass, that he was in one of their cities; and behold, a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 And stretching out his hand, he touched him, and said: I will; be clean. And immediately his leprosy departed from him.
14 And he charged him to tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and make offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, that it may be a testimony to them.
15 But his fame went abroad the more; and many multitudes came together to hear, and to be cured by him of their infirmities.
16 And he withdrew to the deserts and prayed.
17 And it came to pass, on a certain day, that he was teaching, and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was exerted to heal them.
18 And behold, men brought, on a bed, a man who was a paralytic. And they sought how they might bring him in, and lay him before him.
19 And finding no way by which they could bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up on the top of the house, and, through the tiling, let him down, with his bed, into the midst before Jesus.
21 And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying: Who is this that utters impious words? Who can forgive sins but God alone?
22 But Jesus perceived their reasonings, and answered and said to them: Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
23 Which is easier, to say., Your sins are forgiven you; or to say, Arise and walk?
24 But that you may know that the Son of man on the earth has power to forgive sins, (he said to the paralytic,) I say to you, Arise, and take up your bed, and go to your house.
25 And he immediately arose before them, took up that on which he had been lying, and went away to his own house, glorifying God.
26 And astonishment seized upon all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying: We have seen strange things to-day.
27 And after these tilings, he went out and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the custom-house; and he said to him: Follow me.
28 And leaving all, he arose and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast at his own house; and there was a great multitude of publicans and others, who reclined at table with them.
30 And their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying: Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answered arid said to them: They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.
32 I have not come to call righteous men, but sinners, to repentance.
33 And they said to him: Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?
34 And he said to them: Can you make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them; then shall they fast in those days.
36 And he spoke also a parable to them: No one patches an old garment with a piece taken from a new garment. If so, the new tears it, and the patch from the new suits not the old.
37 And no one puts new wine into old bottles; if so, the new wine will burst the bottles, and it will be spilled,. and the bottles will be destroyed.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both will be preserved.
39 And no one, after drinking old wine, immediately desires new; for he says: The old is better.