5
1 Now
while the
multitude pressed
on him and heard
the word of
God, he was
standing by the
lake of Gennesaret.
2 He
saw two boats
standing by the
lake, but
the fishermen had gone
out of them
and were washing
their nets.
3 He
entered into one
of the boats,
which was Simon’s,
and asked him
to put out
a little from
the land. He
sat down and
taught the
multitudes from
the boat.
4 When
he had finished
speaking, he said
to Simon,
“Put out into
the deep and let
down your nets
for a catch.”
5 Simon
answered him, “Master, we worked all
night and caught
nothing; but at
your word I
will let down
the net.”
6 When
they had done
this, they caught
a great multitude
of fish, and
their net
was breaking.
7 They
beckoned to their
partners in the
other boat, that
they should come
and help them.
They came and
filled both boats,
so that they began
to sink.
8 But
Simon Peter, when
he saw it,
fell down at
Jesus’ knees,
saying, “Depart
from me, for
I am a sinful man,
Lord.”
9 For
he was amazed,
and all who
were with him,
at the catch of
fish which they
had caught;
10 and
so also were
James and John,
sons of Zebedee,
who were partners
with Simon.
Jesus said to
Simon,
“Don’t be
afraid. From now
on you will
be catching
people alive.”
11 When
they had brought
their boats to
land, they left
everything, and followed
him.
12 While
he was in
one of the
cities, behold,
there was a
man full of
leprosy. When he
saw Jesus, he
fell on his
face and begged
him, saying, “Lord,
if you want
to, you can
make me clean.”
13 He
stretched out his
hand and touched
him, saying,
“I want to.
Be made
clean.”
Immediately the
leprosy left him.
14 He
commanded him to
tell no one,
“But go your
way and show
yourself to the
priest, and
offer for your
cleansing according
to what Moses
commanded, for a
testimony to
them.”
15 But
the report
concerning him
spread much more,
and great
multitudes came
together to hear
and to be
healed by him
of their infirmities.
16 But
he withdrew himself
into the desert
and prayed.
17 On
one of those
days, he was
teaching; and
there were
Pharisees and
teachers of the
law sitting by
who had come
out of every
village of Galilee,
Judea, and
Jerusalem. The
power of the
Lord was with
him to heal
them.
18 Behold,
men brought a
paralyzed man on
a cot, and they
sought to bring
him in to
lay before Jesus.
19 Not
finding a way
to bring him
in because of
the multitude,
they went up
to the housetop
and let him
down through the
tiles with his cot
into the middle
before Jesus.
20 Seeing
their faith, he
said to him,
“Man, your sins are forgiven
you.”
21 The
scribes and the
Pharisees began to
reason, saying, “Who
is this who
speaks blasphemies? Who
can forgive sins, but
God alone?”
22 But
Jesus, perceiving
their thoughts,
answered them,
“Why are you
reasoning so in
your hearts?
23 Which is easier
to say, ‘Your
sins are forgiven you,’
or to say, ‘Arise
and walk’?
24 But that you
may know that
the Son of
Man has
authority on
earth to forgive sins,”
he said to
the paralyzed man,
“I tell you,
arise, take up
your cot, and go
to your
house.”
25 Immediately
he rose up
before them, and
took up that
which he was laying
on, and departed
to his house,
glorifying God.
26 Amazement
took hold on all,
and they glorified
God. They were
filled with fear,
saying, “We have
seen strange things
today.”
27 After
these things he
went out and
saw a tax
collector named
Levi sitting at
the tax office,
and said to
him,
“Follow me!”
28 He
left everything,
and rose up
and followed him.
29 Levi
made a great
feast for him
in his house.
There was a
great crowd of
tax collectors and
others who were
reclining with
them.
30 Their
scribes and the
Pharisees murmured
against his
disciples, saying, “Why
do you eat
and drink with
the tax collectors
and sinners?”
31 Jesus
answered them,
“Those who
are healthy have
no need for
a physician, but
those who are
sick do.
32 I have not
come to call
the righteous,
but sinners, to
repentance.”
33 They
said to him, “Why
do John’s
disciples often
fast and pray,
likewise also the
disciples of the
Pharisees, but
yours eat and
drink?”
34 He
said to them,
“Can you make
the friends of
the bridegroom
fast while the
bridegroom is
with them?
35 But the days
will come when
the bridegroom
will be taken away
from them. Then
they will fast
in those
days.”
36 He
also told a
parable to them.
“No one puts
a piece from
a new garment
on an old
garment, or else
he will tear
the new, and
also the piece
from the new
will not match
the old.
37 No one puts new
wine into
old wineskins, or
else the new
wine will burst
the skins, and
it will be
spilled and
the skins will
be destroyed.
38 But new wine must
be put into
fresh wineskins, and both
are preserved.
39 No man having
drunk old wine immediately
desires new, for
he says, ‘The
old is
better.’ ”