Chapter 9

And getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own town.

And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a pallet. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; thy sins are forgiven thee."

And behold, some of the Scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemes."

And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts?

For which is easier, to say, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee, ' or to say, 'Arise, and walk'?

But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins"--then he said to the paralytic--"Arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy house."

And he arose, and went away to his house.

But when the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear, and glorified God who had given such power to men. The Call of Matthew

Now as Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax-collector's place, and said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.

And it came to pass as he was at table in the house, that, behold, many publicans and sinners came to the table with Jesus and his disciples.

And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples, "Why does your master eat with publicans and sinners?

But Jesus heard it, and said, "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but they who are sick.

But go, and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. ' For I have come to call sinners, not the just. The Question of Fasting

At that time the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, whereas thy disciples do not fast?

And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

And no one puts a patch of raw cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse rent is made.

Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins, else the skins burst, the wine is spilt, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved." The Ruler's Daughter

As he was saying this to them, behold, a ruler came up and worshipped him, saying, "My daughter has just now died; but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she will return to life."

And Jesus arose and followed him, and so did his disciples.

Now a woman who for twelve years had been suffering from hemorrhage, came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak,

saying to herself, "If I touch but his cloak I shall be saved."

But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, "Take courage, daughter; thy faith has saved thee." And the woman was restored to health from that moment.

And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the crowd making a din, he said,

"Begone, the girl is asleep, not dead." And they laughed him to scorn.

But when the crowd had been put out, he went in and took her by the hand; and the girl arose.

And the report of this spread throughout all that district. Two Blind Men

Now as Jesus was passing on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, "Have pity on us, Son of David! "

And when he had reached the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this to you?" They answered him, "Yes, Lord."

Then he touched their eyes, saying, "Let it be done to you according to your faith."

And their eyes were opened. And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, "See that no one knows of this! "

But they went out and spread his fame abroad throughout all that district. A Dumb Demoniac

Now as they were going out, behold, there was brought to him a dumb man possessed by a devil.

And when the devil had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marvelled, saying, "Never has the like been seen in Israel."

But the Pharisees said, "By the prince of devils he casts out devils." The Mission of the Apostles

And Jesus was going about all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and infirmity.

But seeing the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were bewildered and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few.

Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest."