The First Disciples (Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; John 1:35–42)
1 AKJV And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed on him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, BSB BSB: On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God,
2 AKJV And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. BSB BSB: He saw two boats at the edge of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
3 AKJV And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. BSB BSB: Jesus got into the boat belonging to Simon and asked him to put out a little from shore. And sitting down, He taught the people from the boat.
4 AKJV Now when he had left speaking, he said to Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. BSB BSB: When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 AKJV And Simon answering said to him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at your word I will let down the net. BSB BSB: “Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 AKJV And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. BSB BSB: When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.
7 AKJV And they beckoned to their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. BSB BSB: So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
9 AKJV For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: BSB BSB: For he and his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 AKJV And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not; from now on you shall catch men. BSB BSB: and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.”
11 AKJV And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. BSB BSB: And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him.
The Leper’s Prayer (Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–45)
12 AKJV And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and sought him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. BSB BSB: While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
13 AKJV And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be you clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. BSB BSB: Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 AKJV And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. BSB BSB: “Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
15 AKJV But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. BSB BSB: But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16 AKJV And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. BSB BSB: Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.
Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12)
17 AKJV And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. BSB BSB: One day Jesus was teaching, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. People had come from Jerusalem and from every village of Galilee and Judea, and the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.
18 AKJV And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. BSB BSB: Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus,
19 AKJV And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went on the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the middle before Jesus. BSB BSB: but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 AKJV And when he saw their faith, he said to him, Man, your sins are forgiven you. BSB BSB: When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 AKJV And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? BSB BSB: But the scribes and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 AKJV But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said to them, What reason you in your hearts? BSB BSB: Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus replied, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
23 AKJV Whether is easier, to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Rise up and walk? BSB BSB: Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
24 AKJV But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (he said to the sick of the palsy,) I say to you, Arise, and take up your couch, and go into your house. BSB BSB: But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
25 AKJV And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that where on he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. BSB BSB: And immediately the man stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.
26 AKJV And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. BSB BSB: Everyone was taken with amazement and glorified God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew 9:9–13; Mark 2:13–17)
27 AKJV And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him, Follow me. BSB BSB: After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him,
28 AKJV And he left all, rose up, and followed him. BSB BSB: and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.
29 AKJV And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. BSB BSB: Then Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors was there, along with others who were eating with them.
30 AKJV But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? BSB BSB: But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 AKJV And Jesus answering said to them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. BSB BSB: Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
32 AKJV I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. BSB BSB: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Questions about Fasting (Matthew 9:14–15; Mark 2:18–20)
33 AKJV And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but your eat and drink? BSB BSB: Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking.”
34 AKJV And he said to them, Can you make the children of the bridal chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?
35 AKJV But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. BSB BSB: But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”
The Patches and the Wineskins (Matthew 9:16–17; Mark 2:21–22)
36 AKJV And he spoke also a parable to them; No man puts a piece of a new garment on an old; if otherwise, then both the new makes a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agrees not with the old. BSB BSB: He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will tear the new garment as well, and the patch from the new will not match the old.
37 AKJV And no man puts new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. BSB BSB: And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined.
38 AKJV But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. BSB BSB: Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.
39 AKJV No man also having drunk old wine straightway desires new: for he says, The old is better. BSB BSB: And no one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”