< Matthew 9 >
1 And He entered into the ship and passed over, and came to his own city:
2 and behold, they brought to Him one that had the palsy laid on a couch: and Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, Take heart my son, for thy sins are forgiven thee.
3 Upon which, some of the scribes said in themselves, This man blasphemeth: but Jesus knowing their surmises,
4 said to them, Why think ye evil in your hearts?
5 For which is easier? To say, thy sins be forgiven thee? or to say, rise up and walk?
6 but that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, Arise (saith He then to the paralytic) and take up thy couch, and go away to thy house.
7 And he rose up and went away to his own house.
8 But when the multitudes saw it, they were amazed, and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
9 And as Jesus was passing from thence, He saw a man sitting at the custom-house, named Matthew; and He saith to him, Follow me: and he rose up and followed Him.
10 And as He was sitting at table in the house of Matthew, behold, several publicans and notorious sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?
12 But Jesus hearing them, said unto them, They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill: go therefore and learn what that means,
13 "I desire mercy rather than sacrifice:" for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
14 Then also come to Him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the pharisees fast much, but thy disciples do not fast?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, while the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast.
16 As no one putteth a piece of new cloth to an old garment; for its new patch teareth away from the old garment, and the rent is made worse:
17 nor do they put new wine into old vessels; otherwise, the casks burst, and the wine is spilt, and the vessels are destroyed: but they put new wine into new vessels, and both are preserved.
18 As He was speaking these things to them, behold there came a ruler and worshipped Him, saying, My daughter is at the point of death: but come, I pray Thee, and put thy hand upon her, and she shall live:
19 and Jesus rose up, and followed him; as did also his disciples.
20 (And lo, a woman who had had a flux of blood for twelve years, came close behind Him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21 for she said within herself, If I can but touch his garment, I shall be cured.
22 And Jesus turning about, and seeing her, said, Daughter be comforted, thy faith hath cured thee. And from that time the woman was healed.)
23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the musicians, and the people in confusion;
24 He saith unto them, Retire; for the child is not dead, but asleep. And they laughed at Him.
25 But when the people were put out, He went in and took hold of her hand, and the damsel rose up.
26 And the fame of it spread over all the country.
27 And as Jesus was going from thence, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, Have compassion on us, O Son of David.
28 And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto them, Do ye believe that I am able to do this? and they say unto Him, Yes Lord.
29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you: and their eyes were opened.
30 And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, Do not divulge it: but
31 they went out and spread his fame through all that country.
32 And as they were going out, there was brought to Him a dumb man, a demoniac:
33 and when the demon was cast out, the dumb man spake; and the multitudes were amazed, saying, there had never been seen the like in Israel:
34 but the pharisees said, he casts out devils by the prince of the devils.
35 Now Jesus went round to all the cities, and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and healing every disease, and every malady among the people.
36 And when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion towards them; because they were dispersed and scattered like sheep that have no shepherd:
37 upon which He saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers few:
38 therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He would send out laborers into his harvest.
