Matthew 9
9
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
1Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”
3But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”
4Jesus knew#9:4 Some manuscripts read saw. what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6So I will prove to you that the Son of Man#9:6 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
7And the man jumped up and went home! 8Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority.
Jesus Calls Matthew
9As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
10Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?#9:11 Greek with tax collectors and sinners?”
12When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’#9:13 Hos 6:6 (Greek version). For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
A Discussion about Fasting
14One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast#9:14 Some manuscripts read fast often. like we do and the Pharisees do?”
15Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
18As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
19So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. 20Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, 21for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”
22Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
23When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. 24“Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. 25After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! 26The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.
Jesus Heals the Blind
27After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”
28They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?”
“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”
29Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” 30Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.
32When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.
34But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”
The Need for Workers
35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
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Matthew 9: NLT
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Matthew 9
9
1And going on board the ship, he passed over and came to his own city. 2And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, laid upon a bed; and Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, Be of good courage, child; thy sins are forgiven. 3And behold, certain of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes. 4And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said, Why do ye think evil things in your hearts? 5For which is easier: to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Rise up and walk? 6But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (then he says to the paralytic,) Rise up, take up thy bed and go to thy house. 7And he rose up and went to his house. 8But the crowds seeing it, were in fear, and glorified God who gave such power to men.
9And Jesus, passing on thence, saw a man sitting at the tax-office, called Matthew, and says to him, Follow me. And he rose up and followed him. 10And it came to pass, as he lay at table in the house, that behold, many tax-gatherers and sinners came and lay at table with Jesus and his disciples. 11And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax-gatherers and sinners? 12But Jesus hearing it, said, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those that are ill. 13But go and learn what that is — I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I have not come to call righteous men but sinners.
14Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, but thy disciples fast not? 15And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn so long as the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom will have been taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16But no one puts a patch of new cloth on an old garment, for its filling up takes from the garment and a worse rent takes place. 17Nor do men put new wine into old skins, otherwise the skins burst and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.
18As he spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler coming in did homage to him, saying, My daughter has by this died; but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live. 19And Jesus rose up and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20And behold, a woman, who had had a bloody flux for twelve years, came behind and touched the hem of his garment; 21for she said within herself, If I should only touch his garment I shall be healed. 22But Jesus turning and seeing her, said, Be of good courage, daughter; thy faith has healed thee. And the woman was healed from that hour. 23And when Jesus was come to the house of the ruler, and saw the flute-players and the crowd making a tumult, 24he said, Withdraw, for the damsel is not dead, but sleeps. And they derided him. 25But when the crowd had been put out, he went in and took her hand; and the damsel rose up. 26And the fame of it went out into all that land.
27And as Jesus passed on thence, two blind men followed him, crying and saying, Have mercy on us, Son of David. 28And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus says to them, Do ye believe that I am able to do this? They say to him, Yea, Lord. 29Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. 30And their eyes were opened; and Jesus charged them sharply, saying, See, let no man know it. 31But they, when they were gone out, spread his name abroad in all that land. 32But as these were going out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed by a demon. 33And the demon having been cast out, the dumb spake. And the crowds were astonished, saying, It has never been seen thus in Israel. 34But the Pharisees said, He casts out the demons through the prince of the demons.
35And Jesus went round all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness. 36But when he saw the crowds he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed, and cast away as sheep not having a shepherd. 37Then saith he to his disciples, The harvest is great and the workmen are few; 38supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth workmen unto his harvest.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.