Matthew 9
1 Jesus and his disciples got into the boat. They skirted around [the lake] and went to [Capernaum, the city where he was living].
Accordingly He went on board, and crossing over came to His own town.
2 [Some men] brought to him a man who was paralyzed and who was lying on a sleeping pad. When Jesus perceived that they believed [that he could heal the paralyzed man], he said to him, “Young man, be encouraged! I forgive your sins.”
Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, my child; your sins are pardoned."
3 Some of the men who taught the [Jewish] laws said among themselves, “[He claims that he can forgive sins! That means that he claims to be equal with God] He is insulting God!”
"Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes among themselves.
4 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said, “(You should not think evil [thoughts], [accusing me because I claim that I am God]!/Why do you think evil [thoughts], [saying that it is wrong for me to claim that I am God]?) [RHQ]
Knowing their thoughts Jesus said, "Why are you cherishing evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 It would [not] be risky [for someone] to say [to this man], ‘[I] forgive your sins’, [because no one could see whether or not it really happened]. But [no one, without having the power to heal], would say [to him], ‘[Get] up and walk!’, [because people could easily see whether it happened or not!] [RHQ]
Why, which is easier? --to say, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say 'Rise up and walk'?
6 [So I am going to do something] in order that you may know that [God] has authorized [me], the one who came from heaven, to forgive the sins [of people while I am] on the earth, [as well as to heal people].” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your sleeping pad, and go home!”
But, to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins" --He then says to the paralytic, "Rise, and take up your bed and go home."
7 And [immediately] the man got up, [picked up his sleeping pad], and went home!
And he got up, and went off home.
8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck. They praised God for giving authority to a human being [to do] such [things].
And the crowds were awe-struck when they saw it, and ascribed the glory to God who had entrusted such power to a man.
9 As Jesus was going away from there, he saw me, a man named Matthew. I was sitting at a table where I collected taxes [for the Roman government]. He said to me, “Come with me [and become my disciple]!” So I got up and went with him.
Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed Him.
10 [Then I invited] Jesus and his disciples to my home for a meal. While [they] were sitting and eating in my home, many tax collectors and [other people who were] {whom [the Pharisees]} [considered to be habitual] sinners came unexpectedly to eat with us.
And while He was reclining at table, a large number of tax-gathers and notorious sinners were of the party with Jesus and His disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw [that, they came] to us disciples and said, “([It is disgusting that] your teacher, [who claims to be righteous], eats [and associates] with tax collectors and [other] sinners!/Why is it that your teacher, [who claims to be righteous], eats [and associates] with tax collectors and [other] sinners?)” [RHQ]
The Pharisees noticed this, and they inquired of His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"
12 Jesus heard what [they said], so he told them [this parable]: “[It is] people who are sick who need a [doctor] [MET], not people who are well.” [What he meant by that was that it was people who knew that they were sinners who were coming to him in order to be helped spiritually].
He heard the question and replied, "It is not men in good health who require a doctor, but the sick.
13 He continued by saying, “You need to learn what these words that [God said] mean: ‘I want you to [act] mercifully to people and not [just to offer] sacrifices.’ Keep in mind that I came [from heaven, not] to invite [people who think] [IRO] [that they are] righteous [to turn away from their sinful lives and come to me, but to invite people who know they are] sinners [to turn from their sins and come to me].”
But go and learn what this means, 'It is mercy that I desire, not sacrifice'; for I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."
14 Later, the disciples of John [the Baptizer] came to Jesus and asked him, “We [(exc)] and the Pharisees [often] abstain from food [to show that we want to please God], but your disciples do not do that. Why [do they not]?”
At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"
15 [Jesus wanted to show them and the Pharisees that it was not appropriate for his disciples to abstain from food and mourn while he was still with them]. So he [gave them this illustration]: “When a bridegroom is with [his friends at the time of the wedding], (his friends certainly do not mourn, do they?/do his friends mourn?) [RHQ] [No, they do not mourn, because they are not sad at that time. But when] the bridegroom is taken {[someone] takes the [/his enemies] take the bridegroom} from them, they will abstain from food, [because then they will be sad].”
"Can the bridegroom's party mourn," He replied, "as long as the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the Bridegroom has been taken from them) and then they will fast.
16 [Jesus wanted to show them that people who desire to live in accordance with his new message should not try to continue to obey the old religious traditions like] ([abstaining from food/fasting]) [MET]. [So he said to them], “People do not sew a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment [to mend a hole]. If they did that, [when they washed the garment], the patch would [shrink] and tear the garment, and the hole would become bigger.
No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some of the old, and a worse hole would be made.
17 Neither does anyone pour freshly-[squeezed] grape juice into old skin bags [to store it]. If anyone did that, those skin bags would tear [because they would not stretch when the grape juice ferments and expands. They] would be ruined, and the wine would be spilled {spill} [on the ground]. Instead, [people] put new wine into new skin bags, [and the bags will stretch when the wine ferments]. As a result, both [the wine and the bags] are preserved.”
Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved."
18 While Jesus was saying that, a leader of the Jewish meeting place came and bowed down before him [to show respect]. Then he said, “My daughter just died! But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live [again]!”
While He was thus speaking, a Ruler came up and profoundly bowing said, "My daughter is just dead; but come and put your hand upon her and she will return to life."
19 So Jesus got up, and he and [we] disciples went with the man.
And Jesus rose and followed him, as did also His disciples.
20 Then a woman who [had been suffering constant vaginal] bleeding for twelve years came near Jesus. She was saying to herself, “[I want Jesus to heal me without anyone finding out that I have this problem of bleeding]. So if I [touch him] or even if I just touch his garment, I will be healed [without anyone finding out about it].” So she came behind him and touched the tassel of his garment.
But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with haemorrhage came behind Him and touched the tassel of His cloak;
for she said to herself, "If I but touch His cloak, I shall be cured."
22 Then Jesus turned around [to see who had touched him]. And when he saw the woman, he said to her, “Be encouraged, dear woman. Because you believed [PRS] [that I could heal you, I] have healed you.” The woman was healed at that very moment.
And Jesus turned and saw her, and said, "Take courage, daughter; your faith has cured you." And the woman was restored to health from that moment.
23 Then Jesus [and some of us disciples] came to the Jewish leader’s house. Jesus heard the flute players [playing funeral music] and the crowd [that had gathered] wailing loudly [because the girl had died].
Entering the Ruler's house, Jesus saw the flute-players and the crowd loudly wailing,
24 [Knowing that he would cause her to live again], he said [to them], “Go away [and stop the funeral music and wailing], because the girl is not dead! She is [just] sleeping!” [The people laughed at him, because they knew that she was dead].
and He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.
25 But Jesus told them to get out of the house. Then he went into [the room where the girl was lying]. He took hold of her hand and she [became alive again and] got up.
When however the place was cleared of the crowd, Jesus went in, and on His taking the little girl by the hand, she rose up.
26 And the [people of that] whole region heard [PRS] about it.
And the report of this spread throughout all that district.
27 As Jesus went away from there, two blind men followed him and shouted, “Have mercy on us [and heal our eyes, you who are the Messiah], the Descendant of [King] David!”
As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed Him, shouting and saying, "Pity us, Son of David."
28 Jesus went into the house, where he [was staying], and then the blind men went in, too. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able [to heal your eyes]?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord!”
And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, Sir," they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and he said [to them], “Because you believe [that I can heal your eyes], I am healing them [right now]!”
So He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be to you."
30 And they were able to see [IDM]! Then Jesus told them sternly, “Be sure [IDM] that you do not tell anybody [what I did for you]!”
Then their eyes were opened. And assuming a stern tone Jesus said to them, "Be careful to let no one know."
31 But they went out and reported it throughout that whole region.
But they went out and published His fame in all that district.
32 When [Jesus and we disciples] left [the house], some people brought to Jesus a man who was unable to speak because he was controlled by a demon {a demon controlled him}.
And as they were leaving His presence a dumb demoniac was brought to Him.
33 After Jesus had expelled the demon, the man who had been unable to speak began to speak! The crowd [who saw this] marveled. They said, “Never before have [we seen] anything as [marvelous] as this happen in Israel!”
When the demon was expelled, the dumb man could speak. And the crowds exclaimed in astonishment, "Never was such a thing seen in Israel."
34 But the Pharisees said, “It is [Satan], who rules the demons, who [enables this man to] expel demons [from people].”
But the Pharisees maintained, "It is by the power of the Prince of the demons that he drives out the demons."
35 Then [we] went [with] Jesus through many of [HYP] the cities and towns [in Galilee district. He was teaching (in the synagogues/in the Jewish meeting places)], and preaching the good message about how God rules [over people’s lives]. He also was healing the [people who had] various diseases and illnesses.
And Jesus continued His circuits through all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and infirmity.
36 When he saw the crowd of people, he pitied them because they were harassed and dejected. [They were] like sheep that do not have a shepherd [SIM].
And when He saw the crowds He was touched with pity for them, because they were distressed and were fainting on the ground like sheep which have no shepherd.
37 Then he gave [this illustration] to us disciples: “[The people who are ready to receive my message are like a] field that is ready to be harvested {for people to harvest}. But there are only a few [of you who are teaching people my message].
Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few;
38 So pray and ask the Lord [God] to send [more] workers [who will gather people together and teach them my message, just like a landowner sends workers] into his [field to gather] the [MET] harvest.”
therefore entreat the Owner of the Harvest to send out reapers into His fields."
