The Son of Man Forgives and Heals
9 1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. 2 Some people brought him a paralyzed man lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you harbor evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — then he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe, and they praised our Father, who had given such authority to people.
Jesus Calls Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
New Wine Needs New Wineskins
14 Then John's disciples came and asked him, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't?"
15 Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. 16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins burst, the wine spills, and the wineskins are ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
A Father's Plea and a Woman's Touch
18 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died. But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."
19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. 20 Just then a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She kept saying to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.
23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24 he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.
25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.
The Blind See, the Mute Speak
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" 28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done to you according to your faith"; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
32 As they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not speak was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
34 But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons."
The Father Calls for Harvest Workers
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of our Father, and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, his heart went out to them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 So ask the Father of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field." a a v38 Jesus tells his disciples to ask the owner of the harvest — our Father — to send out workers. The harvest of people coming home belongs to the Father, and he is the one who sends laborers into his field.