﻿Matthew.
Chapter 9.
He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. 
They brought him a paralyzed man lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Take heart, child; your sins are forgiven.” 
Some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 
For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 
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, pick up your bed, and go home.” 
And he got up and went home. 
When the crowds saw this, they were afraid and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. 
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 
While he was reclining at table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined with Jesus and his disciples. 
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 
When he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are ill. 
Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 
Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” 
Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 
No one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 
Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” 
While he was saying these things to them, a ruler came and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died. But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 
Jesus got up and followed him, along with his disciples. 
A woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak. 
For she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 
Jesus turned and saw her and said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. 
When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 
he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 
After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 
And the news spread throughout that whole region. 
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 
When he entered the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.” 
Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 
And their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.” 
But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that whole region. 
As they were leaving, a mute man possessed by a demon was brought to him. 
When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The crowds marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” 
But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” 
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 
So plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” 
