A Leper Cleansed

8 And when* he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper approached and* worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to make me clean.” 3 And extending his hand he touched him, saying, “I am willing, be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

A Centurion’s Slave Healed

5 Now when* he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him, appealing to him 6 and saying, “Lord, my slavea is lying paralyzed in myb house, terribly tormented!” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and* heal him.” 8 And the centurion answered and* said, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof. But only say the word and my slave will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does itc.”

10 Now when* Jesus heard this,* he was astonished, and said to those who were following him,* “Truly I say to you, I have found such great faith with no one in Israel. 11 But I say to you that many will come from east and west and ⌊be seated at the banquet⌋d with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go, as you have believed it will be done for you.” And the slavee was healed at that hour.

Many at Capernaum Are Healed

14 And when* Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying down and suffering with a fever. 15 And he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him.

16 Now when it* was evening, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed, and he expelled the spirits with a word. And he healed all ⌊those who were sick⌋,f 17 in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

“He himself took away our sicknesses,

and carried away our diseases.”g

Would-be Followers

18 Now when* Jesus saw many crowdsh around him, he gave orders to depart to the other side.i 19 And a scribe approached and* said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 And another of the disciplesj said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead!”

Calming of a Storm

23 And as* he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being inundated by the waves, but he himself was asleep. 25 And they came and* woke him, saying, “Lord, save us!* We are perishing!” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you fearful, you of little faith?” Then he got up and* rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. 27 And the men were astonished, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

Demon-possessed Gadarenes Healed

28 And when* he came to the other side,k to the region of the Gadarenes,l two demon-possessed men coming from among the tombs met him, very violent, so that no one was able to pass by along that road. 29 And behold, they cried out, saying, “⌊What do you have to do with us⌋,m Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”n 30 Now a long way from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 So the demons implored him, saying, “If you are going to expel us, send us into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go!” So they departed and* went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and drowned in the water. 33 Now the herdsmen fled and went into the town and* reported everything, including the things concerning the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they* saw him, they implored him* that he would depart from their region.

A Paralytic Healed

9 And getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own town.a 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher, and when* Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” 4 And knowingb their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home.” 7 And he got up and* went to his home. 8 But when* the crowds saw this,* they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

Matthew Called to Follow Jesus

9 And as* Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, “Follow me!” And he stood up and* followed him.

10 And it happened as* he ⌊was dining⌋c in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners were coming and* ⌊dining⌋d with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when they* saw it,* the Pharisees began to say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 And when he* heard it,* he said, “Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those ⌊who are sick⌋.e 13 But go and* learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.”f For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

On Fasting

14 Then the disciples of Johng approached him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “⌊The bridegroom’s attendants⌋h are not able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them. But days are coming when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 But no one puts a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment, for its patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear becomes worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins. ⌊Otherwise⌋i the wineskins burst and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are destroyed. But they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”

A Woman Healed and a Daughter Raised

18 As* he was saying these things to them, behold, one of the rulers came and* knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter has just now died, but come, place your hand on her and she will live!” 19 And Jesus and his disciples got up and* followed him. 20 And behold, a woman who had been suffering with a hemorrhage twelve years approached from behind and* touched the edgej of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak I will be healed.” 22 But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that hour.

23 And when* Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd, 24 he said, “Go away, because the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, he entered and* took her hand, and the girl got up. 26 And this report went out into that whole region.

Two Blind Men Healed

27 And as* Jesus was going away from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 And when he* came into the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be done for you.” 30 And their eyes were opened, and Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one finds out.” 31 But they went out and* spread the report about him in that whole region.

A Demon Expelled

32 Now as* they were going away, behold, they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak. 33 And after* the demon had been expelled, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were astonished, saying, “⌊This has never been seen before⌋k in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees were saying,l “By the ruler of demons he expels the demons!”

A Plentiful Harvest But Few Workers

35 And Jesus was going around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing everym disease and everyn sickness. 36 And when he* saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep that did not have a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest.”

The Twelve Commissioned and Sent Out

10 And summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could expel them* and could heal everya disease and everyb sickness. 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, Jamesc 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, 4 Simon the Zealot,d and Judas Iscariot—the one who also betrayed him.

5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them saying, “Do not go on the road to the Gentiles, and do not enter into a city of the Samaritans, 6 but go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you* are going, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ 8 Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9 Do not procure gold or silver or copper for your belts. 10 Do not take a traveler’s bag for the road, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the worker is deserving of his provisions. 11 And into whatever town or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you depart. 12 And when you* enter into the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you* are going out of that house or thate town. 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!

Persecution of Disciples Predicted

16 “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils, and they will flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before both governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how to speak* or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour. 20 For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you.

21 “And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his children, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved. 23 And whenever they persecute you in this town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will never finish going through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?

Fear God Rather Than People

26 “Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, but instead be afraid of the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?f And one of them will not fall to the ground ⌊without the knowledge and consent⌋g of your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all numbered! 31 Therefore do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, But a Sword of Divisiveness

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And the enemies of a man will be the members of his household.h 37 The one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.

On Rewards

40 “The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will never lose his reward.”

A Question from John the Baptist

11 And it happened that when Jesus had finished giving orders to his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and to preach in their towns. 2 Now when* Johna heard in prison the deeds of Christ, he sent word* by his disciples 3 and* said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered and* said to them, “Go and* tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news announced to them.* 6 And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.”

7 Now as* these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. 9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet?b Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! 10 It is this man about whom it is written:

‘Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you.’c

11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist. But the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated violently, and the violent claimd it. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it,* he is Elijah, the one who is going to come. 15 The one who has ears, let him hear!

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, 17 saying,

‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance;

we sang a lament and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a man who is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”e

Woes Pronounced on Unrepentant Towns

20 Then he began to reproach the towns in which the majority of his miracles had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 Nevertheless I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and for Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!”

A Yoke That Is Easy

25 At that time Jesus answered and* said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to young children.f 26 Yes, Father, for to do so ⌊was your gracious will⌋.g 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and ⌊anyone to whom⌋h the Son wants to reveal him.* 28 Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to carry and my burden is light.”

Plucking Grain on the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck off heads of grain and eat them.* 2 But when* the Pharisees saw it,* they said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what it is not permitted to do on the Sabbath!” 3 So he said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those with him, 4 how he entered into the house of God and ate the bread of the presentation, which it was not permitted for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here! 7 And if you had known what ⌊it means⌋,a ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand Healed

9 And going on from there he came into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him. 11 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it* out? 12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand,” and he stretched it* out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one. 14 But the Pharisees went out ⌊and plotted⌋b against him in order that they could destroy him.

God’s Chosen Servant

15 Now Jesus, when he* learned of it,* withdrew from there, and manyc followed him, and he healed them all. 16 And he warned them that they should not ⌊reveal his identity⌋,d 17 in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

18 “Behold my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

19 He will not quarrel or cry out,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20 A crushed reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish,

until he brings justice to victory.

21 And in his name the Gentilese will hope.f

A House Divided Cannot Stand

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the man who was mute could speak and see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and began saying, “Perhaps this one is the Son of David!” 24 But the Pharisees, when they* heard it,* said, “This man does not expel demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of demons!” 25 But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 And if Satan expels Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them?* For this reason they will be your judges! 28 But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you! 29 Or how can someone enter into the house of a strong man and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he can thoroughly plunder his house. 30 The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters. 31 For this reason I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven! 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, 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 coming one!

Good Trees and Good Fruit or Bad Trees and Bad Fruit

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit is good, or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you* are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person from hisg good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from hish evil treasury brings out evil things. 36 But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment! 37 For by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!” 39 But he answered and* said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation desires a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah! 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold, something* greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the south 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 behold, something* greater than Solomon is here!

An Unclean Spirit Returns

43 “Now whenever an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it travels through waterless places searching for rest, and does not find it.* 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ And when it* arrives it finds the house* unoccupied and swept and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and* live there. And the last state of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be for this evil generation also!”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

46 Andi while* he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and brothers were standing there outside, desiring to speak to him. 47 And someone told him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing there outside desiring to speak to you.” 48 But he answered and* said to the one who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Behold my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”