Matthew, 9

1. He got back in the boat, crossed the water and came to his home town.

1. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

2. And suddenly some people brought him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take comfort, my child, your sins are forgiven.'

2. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."

3. And now some scribes said to themselves, 'This man is being blasphemous.'

3. And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."

4. Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, 'Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts?

4. But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5. Now, which of these is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and walk"?

5. For which is easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise and walk'?

6. But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' -- then he said to the paralytic-'get up, pick up your bed and go off home.'

6. But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed and go home."

7. And the man got up and went home.

7. And he rose and went home.

8. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for having given such authority to human beings.

8. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

9. As Jesus was walking on from there he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him.

9. As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

10. Now while he was at table in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples.

10. And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

11. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?'

11. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

12. When he heard this he replied, 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick.

12. But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13. Go and learn the meaning of the words: Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice. And indeed I came to call not the upright, but sinners.'

13. Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

14. Then John's disciples came to him and said, 'Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?'

14. Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

15. Jesus replied, 'Surely the bridegroom's attendants cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

15. And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16. No one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth onto an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse.

16. And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.

17. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine in fresh skins and both are preserved.'

17. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

18. While he was speaking to them, suddenly one of the officials came up, who bowed low in front of him and said, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.'

18. While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

19. Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.

19. And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.

20. Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak,

20. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment;

21. for she was thinking, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.'

21. for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well."

22. Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, 'Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.' And from that moment the woman was saved.

22. Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.

23. When Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said,

23. And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult,

24. 'Get out of here; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.' And they ridiculed him.

24. he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him.

25. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up.

25. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26. And the news of this spread all round the countryside.

26. And the report of this went through all that district.

27. As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, 'Take pity on us, son of David.'

27. And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."

28. And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up to him and he said to them, 'Do you believe I can do this?' They said, 'Lord, we do.'

28. When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."

29. Then he touched their eyes saying, 'According to your faith, let it be done to you.'

29. Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you."

30. And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, 'Take care that no one learns about this.'

30. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it."

31. But when they had gone away, they talked about him all over the countryside.

31. But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

32. They had only just left when suddenly a man was brought to him, a dumb demoniac.

32. As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him.

33. And when the devil was driven out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed and said, 'Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.'

33. And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."

34. But the Pharisees said, 'It is through the prince of devils that he drives out devils.'

34. But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."

35. Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.

35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.

36. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

36. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

37. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest.'

37. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

38.

38. pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."