THE SON OF MAN FORGIVES AND HEALS

9 So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town.k 2 Just thenl some menA brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”m

3 At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!”n

4 Perceiving their thoughts,o Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?B 5 For 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 told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 7 So he got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruckC,D and gave gloryp to God, who had given such authority to men.

THE CALL OF MATTHEW

9 As Jesus went on from there,q he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.r

10 While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples.s 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”t

12 Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick.u 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.E,v For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”F

A QUESTION ABOUT FASTING

14 Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”w

15 Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guestsG be sad while the groom is with them? The timeH will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse. 17 And no one putsI new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A GIRL RESTORED AND A WOMAN HEALED

18 As he was telling them these things,a suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died,J but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”b 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and followedc him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe,d 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”K,e

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.”A,f And the woman was made well from that moment.B

23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.g 24 “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.”h And they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.i 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.j

HEALING THE BLIND

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”k

28 When he entered the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believel that I can do this?”

They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out.”m 31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that whole area.

DRIVING OUT A DEMON

32 Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to him.n 33 When the demon had been driven out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.”o

THE LORD OF THE HARVEST

35 Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,p and healing everyC disease and every sickness.D,E 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected,q like sheep without a shepherd.r 37 Then he said to his disciples,s “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

COMMISSIONING THE TWELVE

10 Summoning his twelve disciples,t he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal everyC disease and sickness.E,u 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles:v First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;F 4 Simon the Zealot,G and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.w

5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritanx town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheepy of the house of Israel.z 7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’aa 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy,* drive out demons.ab Freely you received, freely give. 9 Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.ac 10 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the workerad is worthy of his food. 11 When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 Greet a household when you enter it,ae 13 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.af 14 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feetag when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgmentah for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.ai

PERSECUTIONS PREDICTED

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.a 17 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courtsB and flog you in their synagogues.b 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.c 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak.d For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirite of your Father is speaking through you.f

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.g 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.h But the one who endures to the end will be saved.i 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.j For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A discipleC is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.k 25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!l

FEAR GOD

26 “Therefore,m don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.n 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper,D proclaim on the housetops.o 28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul;p rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.q 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?E Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’sr consent.F 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.s 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.t

ACKNOWLEDGING CHRIST

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.u 33 But whoever denies me before others,v I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.w 35 For I came to turn

a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and a man’s enemies will be

the members of his household.A,x

37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;y the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it,z and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.aa

A CUP OF COLD WATER

40 “The one who welcomes you welcomes me,ab and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.ac 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophetad because he is a prophetB will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteousC will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever givesae even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple,D,af truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

JOHN THE BAPTIST DOUBTS

11 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.ag 2 Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciplesah 3 and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”ai

4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy* are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,aj 6 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”ak

7 As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?al 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who wear soft clothes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.a 10 This is the one about whom it is written:

See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;

he will prepare your way before you.F,b

11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared,G but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence,A and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.c 15 Let anyone who has earsB listen.d

AN UNRESPONSIVE GENERATION

16 “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children:

17 We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!C

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’e 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard,f a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’g Yet wisdom is vindicatedD by her deeds.”E

20 Then he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin!h Woe to you, Bethsaida!i For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,j they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgmentk than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades.l For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

THE SON GIVES KNOWLEDGE AND REST

25 At that time Jesus said,m “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.n 26 Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.F 27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desiresG to reveal him.o

28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.p 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,q because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.r 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

LORD OF THE SABBATH

12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.s His disciplest were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawfulu to do on the Sabbath.”

3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry: 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ateH the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?v 5 Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?w 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.x 7 If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice,A,y you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”z

THE MAN WITH THE SHRIVELED HAND

9 Moving on from there, he entered their synagogue.aa 10 There he saw a man who had a shriveled hand, and in order to accuse him they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”ab

11 He replied to them, “Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?ac 12 A person is worth far more than a sheep;ad so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored,a as good as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how they might kill him.b

THE SERVANT OF THE LORD

15 Jesus was aware of this and withdrew. Large crowdsB followed him, and he healed them all.c 16 He warned them not to make him known,d 17 so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

18 Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.e

19 He will not argue or shout,

and no one will hear his voice in the streets.

20 He will not break a bruised reed,

and he will not put out a smoldering wick,

until he has led justice to victory.C

21 The nations will put their hope in his name.D,f

A HOUSE DIVIDED

22 Then a demon-possessed mang who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the manE could both speak and see.h 23 All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”i

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”j

25 Knowing their thoughts,k he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satanl drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.m 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.n 29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties upo the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 Anyone who is not with me is against me,p and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore,q I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy,r but the blasphemy againstA the Spirit will not be forgiven.B 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man,s it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.t

A TREE AND ITS FRUIT

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree badC and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.u 34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflowv of the heart. 35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.w 36 I tell you that on the day of judgmentx people will have to accounty for every carelessD word they speak.E 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

THE SIGN OF JONAH

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”z

39 He answered them,aa “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.ab 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish* ac three days and three nights,ad so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,ae because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look—something greater than Jonah is here.af 42 The queen of the southag will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look—something greater than Solomon is here.

AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT’S RETURN

43 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.ah 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.a That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”

TRUE RELATIONSHIPS

46 While heb was still speaking with the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to him.c 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”G

48 He replied to the one who was speaking to him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49 Stretching out his hand toward his disciples,d he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”e