Matthew.
Chapter 9.
So Jesus took a boat back across the lake to the town where he lived. 
There they brought to him a paralyzed man lying on a mat. When Jesus saw how they trusted him, he told the paralyzed man, “My friend, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven.” 
In response some of the religious teachers said to themselves, “He's speaking blasphemy!” 
But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your minds? 
What is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’? 
But to convince you that the Son of man does have the authority to forgive sins…” he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 
The man got up and went home. 
When the crowds saw what had happened, they were scared. Then they praised God that he had given human beings such power. 
As Jesus moved on from there he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth. Jesus called to him, “Follow me!” He got up, and followed Jesus. 
While Jesus was eating at Matthew's home, many tax-collectors and sinners came and sat down at the table with Jesus and his disciples. 
When the Pharisees saw this they asked Jesus' disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?” 
When Jesus heard the question, he replied, “Those who are well don't need a doctor, but sick people do. 
Go and discover what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call those who do what's right—I came to call sinners.’” 
Then the disciples of John came and asked, “Why is that we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples don't?” 
“Do wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus responded. “But the time is coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast. 
No one puts a new patch on old clothes, otherwise it will shrink and make the tear worse. 
No one puts new wine in old wineskins either, otherwise the wineskins will burst, spilling the wine and ruining the wineskins. No, new wine is put into new wineskins, and both last.” 
While he was telling them this, one of the leading officials came and bowed before him. “My daughter has just died,” the man told Jesus. “But if you come and place your hand on her, I know she will come back to life.” 
Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. 
At that moment a woman who had been sick with bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the hem of his cloak. 
She had told herself, “If I can just touch his cloak, I'll be healed.” 
Jesus turned and saw her. “Be happy, for your trust in me has healed you,” he told her. The woman was immediately healed. 
Jesus arrived at the official's house. He saw the flute-players and the crowd that was weeping loudly. 
“Please leave,” he told them, “For the girl isn't dead, she's just asleep.” But they laughed and made fun of him. 
But once the crowd had been sent out, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 
News of what happened spread throughout that region. 
As Jesus continued on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Son of David, please have mercy on us!” 
When Jesus arrived at the house where he was staying, the blind men came in too. “Are you convinced that I'm able to do this?” he asked them. “Yes, Lord,” they replied. 
Then Jesus touched their eyes, and said, “Because of your trust in me it will happen!” 
And they could see. Then Jesus warned them, “Make sure nobody knows about this.” 
But they went and spread the word about Jesus everywhere. 
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving, a man was brought to him who was dumb and demon-possessed. 
Once the demon had been thrown out of him, the dumb man spoke, and the crowds were amazed. “Nothing ever happened like this before in Israel,” they said. 
But the Pharisees remarked, “He throws out demons using the power of the chief of demons.” 
Jesus went all over, visiting the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues, telling them about the good news of the kingdom, and he healed all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. 
When he saw the crowds, Jesus was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 
He told his disciples, “The harvest is large, but there are only a few workers. 
Pray to the Lord of the harvest, and ask him to send more workers for his harvest.” 
