< Matthew 9 >
1 AND going on board the vessel, he passed over, and came to his own city.
2 And lo! they brought him a paralytic stretched on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, Be of good cheer, son; thy sins are forgiven thee.
3 And lo! some of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said, wherefore do ye imagine evil things in your hearts?
5 For which is the easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority upon earth to forgive sins, (then he saith to the paralytic, ) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.
7 And he arose, and went to his house.
8 But when the multitude saw it, they were astonished, and glorified God, who had given such power unto men.
9 And Jesus passing from thence, saw a man sitting at the custom house, called Matthew: and saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
10 And it came to pass, as he sat in his house, many tax-gatherers and sinners came, and sat down at table with Jesus and his disciples.
11 And the Pharisees observing it, said to his disciples, How is this, that your Master eateth with publicans and sinners?
12 But Jesus hearing it, said unto them, They who are in the vigour of health have no need of the physician, but they who have illness.
13 Go then, and learn what is said, “I require mercy and not sacrifice:” for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
14 Then came unto him disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees keep many fasts, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber weep, whilst the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then will they fast.
16 But no man ingrafts a patch of undressed cloth into an old garment, for the piece supplied taketh from the garment, and the rent becomes worse.
17 Nor do they put new wine into old bottles: but if they do, the bottles burst, and the wine is spilt, and the bottles are destroyed: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
18 As he was speaking these things to them, behold, there came a ruler, and prostrated himself before him, saying, My daughter hath just now died: but come and lay thine hand upon her, and she shall live.
19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and his disciples also.
20 And, behold, a woman, who had an haemorrage twelve years, came behind, and touched the fringe of his garment:
21 for she said within herself, If I only touch his garment, I shall be cured.
22 Then Jesus, turning about and beholding her, said, Be encouraged, daughter; thy faith hath saved thee. And the woman was cured from that hour.
23 And when Jesus was come into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute-players, and a multitude confusedly lamenting,
24 he saith to them, Retire; for the little girl is not dead, but sleeping. And they derided him.
25 So when the multitude was put out, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.
26 And the fame of it went forth into all that country.
27 And as Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, son of David!
28 So when he came into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus said to them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yes, Lord.
29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, Take care that no person know it.
31 But they going forth, blazoned his fame through all that country.
32 And when they were coming out, behold, they brought unto him a man, dumb, a demoniac.
33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, Never at any time was the like to this seen in Israel.
34 But the Pharisees said, By the prince of the devils doth he cast the devils out.
35 And Jesus took a circuit through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease, and every malady among the people.
36 And beholding the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were fainting, and lying here and there, as sheep that had no shepherd.
37 Then said he to his disciples, The harvest indeed is abundant, but the labourers are few;
38 entreat therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth workmen for his harvest.
