Chapter 9
1 He entered into a boat and crossed over , and came into his own city .
2 Behold , they brought to him a man who was paralysed, lying on a bed . Jesus , seeing their faith , said to the paralytic , " Son , cheer up ! Your sins are forgiven you ."
3 Behold , some of the scribes said to themselves , " This man blasphemes."
4 Jesus , knowing their thoughts , said , " Why do you think evil in your hearts ?
5 For which is easier , to say , ‘ Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say , ‘ Get up , and walk ’?
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—" ( then he said to the paralytic ), " Get up , and take up your mat, and go to your house ."
7 He arose and departed to his house .
8 But when the multitudes saw it , they marvelled and glorified God , who had given such authority to men .
9 As Jesus passed by from there , he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him , "Follow me ." He got up and followed him .
10 As he sat in the house , behold , many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples .
11 When the Pharisees saw it , they said to his disciples , " Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12 When Jesus heard it , he said to them , " Those who are healthy have no need for a physician , but those who are sick do .
13 But you go and learn what this means : ‘ I desire mercy , and not sacrifice ,’ for I came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance."
14 Then John ’s disciples came to him , saying , " Why do we and the Pharisees fast often , but your disciples don’ t fast ?"
15 Jesus said to them , " Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them ? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them , and then they will fast .
16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment ; for the patch would tear away from the garment , and a worse hole is made .
17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst , and the wine be spilled , and the skins ruined. No , they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved ."
18 While he told these things to them , behold , a ruler came and worshipped him , saying , " My daughter has just died , but come and lay your hand on her , and she will live ."
19 Jesus got up and followed him , as did his disciples .
20 Behold , a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him , and touched the fringe of his garment ;
21 for she said within herself , " If I just touch his garment , I will be made well ."
22 But Jesus , turning around and seeing her , said , " Daughter , cheer up ! Your faith has made you well ." And the woman was made well from that hour .
23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder ,
24 he said to them , " Make room, because the girl isn’ t dead, but sleeping ." They were ridiculing him .
25 But when the crowd was sent out , he entered in , took her by the hand , and the girl arose .
26 The report of this went out into all that land .
27 As Jesus passed by from there , two blind men followed him , calling out and saying , " Have mercy on us , son of David !"
28 When he had come into the house , the blind men came to him . Jesus said to them , " Do you believe that I am able to do this ?" They told him , " Yes , Lord ."
29 Then he touched their eyes , saying , " According to your faith be it done to you ."
30 Then their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them , saying , " See that no one knows about this ."
31 But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land .
32 As they went out , behold , a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him .
33 When the demon was cast out , the mute man spoke . The multitudes marvelled , saying , " Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel !"
34 But the Pharisees said , " By the prince of the demons , he casts out demons ."
35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages , teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness amongst the people .
36 But when he saw the multitudes , he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed and scattered , like sheep without a shepherd .
37 Then he said to his disciples , " The harvest indeed is plentiful , but the labourers are few .
38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out labourers into his harvest ."