1 So he embarked in the boat and crossed over to his own town.
2 There a paralytic was brought to him, lying on a pallet; and when Jesus saw the faith of the bearers he said to the paralytic, "Courage, my son! your sins are forgiven."
4 Jesus saw what they were thinking and said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5 Which is the easier thing, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
6 But to let you see the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins" ??he then said to the paralytic, "Get up, lift your pallet, and go home."
7 And he got up and went home.
8 The crowds who saw it were awed and glorified God for giving such power to men.
9 As Jesus passed along from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-office; he said to him, "Follow me"; and he rose and followed him.
10 Jesus was at table indoors, and many taxgatherers and sinners had come to be guests with him and his disciples.
11 So when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with taxgatherers and sinners?"
12 When Jesus heard it he said, "Those who are strong have no need of a doctor, but those who are ill.
13 Go and learn the meaning of this word, I care for mercy not for sacrifice. For I have not come to call just men but sinners."
14 Then the disciples of John came up to him and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast a great deal, and your disciples do not fast?"
15 Jesus said to them, "Can friends at a wedding mourn so long as the bride groom is beside them? A time will come when the bridegroom is taken from them, and then they will fast.
16 No one sews a piece of undressed cloth on an old coat, for the patch breaks away from it, and the tear is made worse:
17 nor do men pour fresh wine into old wineskins, otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine is spilt, the wineskins are ruined. They put fresh wine into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
18 As he said this, an official came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter is just dead; do come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."
19 So Jesus rose and went after him, accompanied by his disciples.
20 Now a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his robe;
21 what she said to herself was this, "If I can only touch his robe, I will recover."
22 Then Jesus turned round, and when he saw her he said, "Courage, my daughter, your faith has made you well." And the woman was well from that hour.
23 Now when Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players and the din the crowd were making,
24 he said, "Be off with you; the girl is not dead but asleep." They laughed at him.
25 But after the crowd had been put out, he went in and took her hand, and the girl rose up.
26 The report of this went all over that country.
27 As Jesus passed along from there, he was followed by two blind men who shrieked, "Son of David, have pity on us!"
28 When he went indoors the blind men came up to him, and Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They said, "Yes, sir."
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "As you believe, so your prayer is granted,"
30 and their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly charged them, "See, nobody is to know of this."
31 But they went out and spread the news of him all over that country.
32 As they went out, a dumb man was brought to him, who was possessed by a daemon,
33 and when the daemon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke. Then the crowd marvelled; they said, "Such a thing has never been seen in Israel!"
34 [vs omitted but shown in footnote] But the Pharisees said, "He casts out daemons by the prince of daemons."
35 Then Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Reign, and healing every disease and complaint.
36 As he saw the crowds he was moved with pity for them; they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few;
38 so pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to gather his harvest."