1. One day, as Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, with a crowd gathered around him listening to the word of God,

2. he caught sight of two boats left at the water's edge by the fishermen now washing their nets.

3. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to pull out a little from the shore. There he sat and continued to teach the crowd.

4. When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."

5. Simon replied, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will lower the nets."

6. This they did and caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

7. They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats almost to the point of sinking.

8. Upon seeing this, Simon Peter fell at Jesus' knees, saying, "Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

9. For he and his companions were amazed at the catch they had made

10. and so were Simon's partners, James and John, Zebedee's sons. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. You will catch people from now on."

11. So they brought their boats to land and followed him, leaving everything.

12. One day in another town, a man came to Jesus covered with leprosy. On seeing him he bowed down to the ground, and said, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

13. Stretching out his hand, Jesus touched the man and said, "Yes, I want it. Be clean." In an instant the leprosy left him.

14. Then Jesus instructed him, "Tell this to no one. But go and show yourself to the priest. Make an offering for your healing, as Moses prescribed; that should be a proof to the people."

15. But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and large crowds came to him to listen and be healed of their sickness.

16. As for Jesus, he would often withdraw to solitary places and pray.

17. One day Jesus was teaching and many Pharisees and teachers of the Law had come from every part of Galilee and Judea and even from Jerusalem. They were sitting there while the power of the Lord was at work to heal the sick.

18. Then some men brought a paralyzed man who lay on his mat. They tried to enter the house to place him before Jesus,

19. but they couldn't find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and, removing the tiles, they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

20. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven."

21. At once the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to wonder, "This man insults God! Who can forgive sins but only God?"

22. But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, "Why are you reacting like this?

23. Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven,' or: 'Get up and walk'?

24. Now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home."

25. At once the man stood before them. He took up the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God.

26. Amazement seized the people and they praised God. They were filled with a holy fear and said, "What wonderful things we have seen today!"

27. After this Jesus went out, and as he noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax-office, he said to him, "Follow me."

28. So Levi, leaving everything, got up and followed Jesus.

29. Levi gave a great feast for Jesus, and many tax collectors came to his house and took their place at table with the other people.

30. Then the Pharisees and their fellow teachers complained to Jesus' disciples, "How is it that you eat and drink with tax collectors and other sinners?"

31. But Jesus spoke up, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do.

32. I have come to call to repentance; I call sinners, not the righteous."

33. Some people asked him, "The disciples of John fast often and say long prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why is it that your disciples eat and drink?" Then Jesus said to them,

34. "You can't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them.

35. But later the bridegroom will be taken from them and they will fast in those days."

36. Jesus also told them this parable, "No one tears a piece from a new coat to put it on an old one; otherwise the new will be torn and the piece taken from the new will not match the old.

37. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed as well.

38. But new wine must be put into fresh skins.

39. Yet no one who has tasted old wine is eager to get new wine, but says: The old is good."





“A maior caridade é aquela que arranca as pessoas vencidas pelo demônio, a fim de ganhá-las para Cristo. E isso eu faço assiduamente, noite e dia.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina