The Son of Man Forgives and Heals
4Perceiving their thoughts,9:4 Mt 12:25; Lk 6:8; 9:47; 11:17 Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?9:4 Or minds
5For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.”
7So he got up and went home.
The Call of Matthew
9As Jesus went on from there,9:9–17 Mk 2:14–22; Lk 5:27–38 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.9:9 Mt 10:3; Mk 2:14; 3:18; Lk 6:15; Ac 1:13
A Question about Fasting
15Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests9:15 Lit the sons of the bridal chamber be sad while the groom is with them? The time9:15 Lit days will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse.
17And no one puts9:17 Lit And they do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed
18As he was telling them these things,9:18–26 Mk 5:22–43; Lk 8:41–56 suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died,9:18 Lit daughter has now come to the end but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”9:18 Mt 8:2–3; Mk 5:23
23When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.9:23 2Ch 35:25; Jr 9:17; 16:6; Ezk 24:17; Rv 18:22
24“Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.”9:24 Jn 11:13; Ac 20:10 And they laughed at him.
Healing the Blind
They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”
29Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
30And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out.”9:29–30 Mt 8:4,13; 9:22; Mk 8:25; Jn 9:26
31But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that whole area.
Driving Out a Demon
32Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to him.9:32–34 Mt 12:22–24; Lk 11:14–15
33When the demon had been driven out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
The Lord of the Harvest
35Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,9:35 Mt 4:23; Mk 1:15 and healing every9:35 Or every kind of disease and every sickness.9:35 Other mss add among the people9:35 Or physical ailment
36When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected,9:36 Mt 14:14; 15:32; Mk 6:34; 8:2 like sheep without a shepherd.9:36 Nm 27:17; 1Kg 22:17; Ezk 34:5; Zch 10:2
37Then he said to his disciples,9:37 Mt 10:1; 26:56; Mk 3:7; 16:20; Lk 6:13; Jn 12:16 “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.
38Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
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