Matthew 9

Contents

1 After entering into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to his own city, 2 and, behold, they brought to him a paralyzed man lying on a bed. Jesus saw their trust, and said to the paralyzed man, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and walk?’ 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins . . . ,” and he said unto the paralyzed man, “Arise, pick up your bed and go into your home.” 7 And the man arose and went away into his home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were astonished, and glorified God, who had given such power to mankind.

Jesus Calls Matthew to Follow Him (9:9–13)

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s booth, and he said to him, “Follow Me!” And Matthew got up and followed him. 10 Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw them, they said to his disciples, “Why is your teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard them, he said, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I wish for mercy and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

A Question about Fasting (9:14–17)

14 Then the disciples of John came to him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the children of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a patch of new cloth on an old garment; for the patch stretches the garment, and a worse tear is the result. 17 Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins, otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Jesus Raises a Ruler’s Daughter and
Heals a Woman Who Touched the Fringe of His Garment (9:18–26)

18 While Jesus was saying these things to them, a synagogue leader came and bowed down before him, and said, “My daughter is now dead, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus arose and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 Then a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the hem of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only might touch his garment, I would get well.” 22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her, he said, “Daughter, do not be afraid; your faithfulness has made you well,” and at that moment the woman was made well. 23 When Jesus came into the synagogue leader’s home and saw the flute-players and the noisy crowd, 24 he said, “Cease working, for the girl did not die, but is asleep,” but they began to ridicule him. 25 However, after the crowd had been dispersed, he entered and took her by the hand, and the girl arose, 26 and this news went out into all that land.

Jesus Heals Crowds of People and Wishes for More Workers (9:27–38)

27 As Jesus was passing on from there, two blind men followed him and cried out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David,” 28 and after he entered the house, the blind men came up to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you understand that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let this happen to you according to your faithfulness.” 30 Their eyes were opened, and Jesus urgently admonished them and said, “See that no one knows about this!” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him in all that land. 32 As they went out, behold, they brought him a mute man who was possessed by a demon. 33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke, and the crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel.” 34 However, the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 36 But when he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them because they were troubled and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, request that the Lord of the harvest sends out workers into his harvest.”

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