Matthew 9 — NETB

9Verse 1After getting into a boat he crossed to the other side and came to his own town.^{Verse 2}Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”^{Verse 3}Then some of the experts in the law said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”^{Verse 4}When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts?^{Verse 5}Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?^{Verse 6}But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – then he said to the paralytic – “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”^{Verse 7}And he stood up and went home.^{Verse 8}When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men.

The Call of Matthew; Eating with Sinners

^{Verse 9}As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.^{Verse 10}As Jesus was having a meal in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.^{Verse 11}When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^{Verse 12}When Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.^{Verse 13}Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Superiority of the New

^{Verse 14}Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”^{Verse 15}Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.^{Verse 16}No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, because the patch will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse.^{Verse 17}And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”

Restoration and Healing

^{Verse 18}As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.”^{Verse 19}Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.^{Verse 20}But a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.^{Verse 21}For she kept saying to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.”^{Verse 22}But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed from that hour.^{Verse 23}When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd,^{Verse 24}he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him.^{Verse 25}But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and gently took her by the hand, and the girl got up.^{Verse 26}And the news of this spread throughout that region.

Healing the Blind and Mute

^{Verse 27}As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”^{Verse 28}When he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”^{Verse 29}Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”^{Verse 30}And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.”^{Verse 31}But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that entire region.^{Verse 32}As they were going away, a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him.^{Verse 33}After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!”^{Verse 34}But the Pharisees said, “By the ruler of demons he casts out demons.”

Workers for the Harvest

^{Verse 35}Then Jesus went throughout all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.^{Verse 36}When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^{Verse 37}Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.^{Verse 38}Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”