1Jesus got into a boat, crossed the lake, and went to his own town.
2Some people brought him a paralyzed man who was lying on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralyzed man, "Be encouraged, son! Your sins are forgiven."
3Some of the religious teachers thought to themselves, "This man is insulting God!"
4Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
5Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Get up and walk'?
6But so you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." (Then he spoke to the paralyzed man) "Get up, pick up your mat, and go home."
7The man got up and went home.
8When the crowds saw this, they were amazed and praised God, who had given such authority to people.
9As Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew got up and followed him.
10Later, as Jesus was sitting at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and other sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.
11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12When Jesus heard them, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do.
13Go and learn what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifices.’ For I didn’t come to call those who think they are righteous, but sinners to change their ways.”
14Then John’s disciples came to him and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
15Jesus answered, “Can the friends of the groom mourn while the groom is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
16No one sews a piece of new, unshrunk cloth onto an old coat. If they do, the new patch will pull away from the old coat and make a worse tear.
17People also don't pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the wineskins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
18While Jesus was telling them these things, a leader came and bowed down to him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and place your hand on her, and she will live.”
19Jesus got up and followed him, and his disciples went with him.
20Just then, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak;
21because she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his cloak, I will get well.”
22But Jesus turned around, saw her, and said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed immediately.
23When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,
24he said to them, “Go away, because the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” They laughed at him.
25But after the crowd had been sent outside, he went in, took her hand, and the girl got up.
26News of this spread throughout that entire region.
27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28When he entered the house, the blind men approached him. Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”
29Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Because of your faith, it will be done for you.”
30And their eyes were opened. Jesus strongly warned them, “Make sure no one knows about this.”
31But they went out and spread his fame throughout that whole region.
32As Jesus and the disciples were leaving, a mute man who was possessed by a demon was brought to him.
33When the demon was cast out, the man who couldn't speak began to talk. The crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
34But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the power of the ruler of demons.”
35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
36When he saw the crowds, he felt deep compassion for them, because they were distressed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is truly abundant, but the workers are few.
38Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest."