Study Desk

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man^(a)

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.^(b)

Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,^(c) lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,^(d) he said to the man, "Take heart,^(e) son; your sins are forgiven."^(f)

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"^(g)

Knowing their thoughts,^(h) Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Get up and walk'?

But I want you to know that the Son of Man⁽ⁱ⁾ has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home."

Then the man got up and went home.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,^(j) who had given such authority to man.

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me,"^(l) he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"^(m)

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'^[a](n) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."^(o)

Then John's^(q) disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,^(r) but your disciples do not fast?"

Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?^(s) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.^(t)

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.

Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him^(v) and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her,^(w) and she will live."

Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.^(x)

She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart,^(y) daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you."^(z) And the woman was healed at that moment.^(aa)

When Jesus entered the synagogue leader's house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes,^(ab)

he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead^(ac) but asleep."^(ad) But they laughed at him.

After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.^(ae)

News of this spread through all that region.^(af)

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"^(ag)

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.^(ah)

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you";^(ai)

and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this."^(aj)

But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.^(ak)

While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed^(al) and could not talk^(am) was brought to Jesus.

And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."^(an)

But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."^(ao)

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.^(ap)

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,^(aq) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^(ar)

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest^(as) is plentiful but the workers are few.^(at)

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^{(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)}

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits^(f) and to heal every disease and sickness.^(g)

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.^(h)

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.⁽ⁱ⁾

Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^(j)

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven^(k) has come near.'

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

"Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts^(l)—

no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^(m)

Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave.

As you enter the home, give it your greeting.⁽ⁿ⁾

If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. ^(o)

Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah^(p) on the day of judgment^(q) than for that town.^(r)

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(s) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^(t)

Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(u) and be flogged in the synagogues.^(v)

On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(w) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.^(x) At that time you will be given what to say,

for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(y) speaking through you.

"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents^(z) and have them put to death.^(aa)

You will be hated by everyone because of me,^(ab) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^(ac)

When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.^(ad)

"The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^(ae)

It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,^(af) how much more the members of his household!

"So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.^(ag)

What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One^(ah) who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care.^[b]

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^(ai)

So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(aj)

"Whoever acknowledges me before others,^(ak) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.

But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.^(al)

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to turn "‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law^(am)—

a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'^[c](an)

"Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.^(ao)

Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^(ap)

Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.^(aq)

"Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(ar) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(as)

Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."^(at)