Matthew Nine

   So he went up into the boat, and crossed over and came to his own city. And they brought to him a paralytic, lying on a quilt-bed; and Jesus saw their faith, and he said to the paralytic, Have courage, my son; your sins have been forgiven. Some of the scribes said among themselves, This man blasphemes. But Jesus knew their thoughts; so he said to them, Why do you think evil in your
hearts? For which is easier to say, Your sins have been forgiven, or to say, Arise and walk? But that you might know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, then he said to the paralytic, Arise, take up your quilt-bed, and go to your home. And he rose up and went to his home. But when the crowds saw it, they were frightened, and they glorified God, because he had given such power as this to men.

   ¶ And as Jesus passed from that place, he saw a man whose name was Matthew, sitting in the custom house, and he said to him, Follow me; and he got up and went after him. And while they were guests in the house, a great many publicans and sinners came, and they sat as guests with Jesus and with his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why does your master eat
with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard it, he said to them, Those who are well need no doctor, but those who are seriously sick. Go and learn what this means, I want mercy and not sacrifice; for I came not to invite righteous men, but sinners.

   ¶ Then the disciples of John came up to him, and said, Why do we and the Pharisees fast a great deal, and your disciples never fast? Jesus said to them, Is it possible for those at the wedding feast to fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days are coming, when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast. No man puts a new patch on an old garment, so as not to weaken that garment, and make the hole larger. Neither do they pour new wine into worn out skins, so as not to rend the skins, and spill the wine, and the wine runs out, and the skins are ruined; but they pour new wine into new skins, and both of them are well preserved.

   ¶ While he was speaking these things with them, a leader of the synagogue came near and worshipped him; and he said, My daughter has just died, but come and put your hand on her and she will live. And Jesus and his disciples rose up and went with him.

   ¶ And behold a woman who had had the hemorrhage for twelve years, came up from behind him, and she touched the edge of his cloak; For she was saying to herself, If I can only touch his garment, I will be healed. And Jesus turned around and saw her and said to her, Have courage, my daughter,
your faith has healed you; and the woman was healed in that very hour.

   ¶ So Jesus arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, and saw the singers and the excited crowds.
And he said to them, That is enough; for the little girl is not dead, but she is asleep; and they laughed at him. But when he had put the people out, he went in and held her by her hand, and the little girl got up. And this news spread all over that country.

   ¶ And as Jesus passed from there, he was delayed by two blind men, who were crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O son of David. And when he came into the house, the same blind men came up to him. Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I can do this? They said to him, Yes, our Lord. Then he touched their eyes and said, Let it be to you according to your faith. And immediately their eyes were opened; and Jesus charged them and said, See that no one knows it. But they went out and spread the news all over that country.

   ¶ And when Jesus went out, they brought to him a dumb man who was demented. And as soon as he was restored, the dumb man spoke, and the people were amazed and said, Such a thing has never been seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He is casting out devils by the help of the prince of devils. And Jesus travelled in all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of sickness and disease.

   ¶ When Jesus saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were tired out and scattered, like sheep which have no shepherd. So he said to his disciples, The harvest is great, and the laborers are few; Therefore urge the owner of the harvest to bring more laborers to his harvest.