Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26)
1 UDB Jesus and his disciples got into the boat. They sailed over the lake and went to Capernaum, the city where he was staying. BSB BSB: Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.
2 UDB Some people brought to him a man who was paralyzed and who was lying on a sleeping pad. When Jesus perceived that they believed that he could heal the paralyzed man, he said to him, "Young man, be encouraged! I forgive your sins." BSB BSB: Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 UDB Some of the men who taught the Jewish laws said among themselves, "This man thinks he is God; he cannot forgive sins!" BSB BSB: On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
4 UDB Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said, "You should not think evil thoughts! BSB BSB: But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
5 UDB What is easier, to tell him that his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and walk? BSB BSB: Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6 UDB So I am going to do something in order that you may know that God has authorized me, the Son of Man, to forgive sins." Then he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your sleeping pad, and go home!" BSB BSB: But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
7 UDB Immediately the man got up, picked up his sleeping pad, and went home! BSB BSB: And the man got up and went home.
8 UDB When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck. They praised God for giving such authority to people. BSB BSB: When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Jesus Calls Matthew (Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–32)
9 UDB As Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at a table where he collected taxes for the Roman government. Jesus said to him, "Come with me and be my disciple!" So Matthew got up and went with him. BSB BSB: As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.
10 UDB Jesus and his disciples sat down in a house for a meal. While they were eating, many tax collectors and other persons came and ate with them. BSB BSB: Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples.
11 UDB When the Pharisees saw that, they went up to the disciples and said, "It is disgusting that your teacher eats and associates with tax collectors and other people like them." BSB BSB: When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 UDB Jesus heard what they said, so he told them this parable: "It is people who are sick who need a doctor, not people who are well. BSB BSB: On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
13 UDB You need to learn what these words that God said mean: 'I want you to act mercifully to people and not just to offer sacrifices.' Keep in mind that I came to you, not to invite people who think that they are righteous to turn away from their sinful lives and come to me, but to invite people who know they are sinners." BSB BSB: But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Questions about Fasting (Mark 2:18–20; Luke 5:33–35)
14 UDB Then the disciples of John the Baptizer came to Jesus and asked him, "We and the Pharisees often abstain from food because we want to please God, but your disciples do not do that. Why do they not?" BSB BSB: Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15 UDB Jesus answered, "When the bridegroom is with his friends when he gets married, those people do not mourn, do they? No, because they are not sad at that time. But when the bridegroom has to leave them, they will abstain from food because they will be sad. BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
The Patches and the Wineskins (Mark 2:21–22; Luke 5:36–39)
16 UDB "People do not sew a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment to mend a hole. If they did that, when they washed the garment, the patch would shrink and tear the garment and the hole would become bigger. BSB BSB: No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.
17 UDB Neither does anyone pour fresh grape juice into old skin bags to store it. If anyone did that, those skin bags would tear when the juice became wine. The bags would be ruined and the wine would be spilled on the ground. Instead, people put new wine into new skin bags, and the bags will stretch when the wine ferments. In this way, both the wine and the bags will be safe." BSB BSB: Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The Healing Touch of Jesus (Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56)
18 UDB While Jesus was saying that, a leader in the city came and bowed down before him. Then he said, "My daughter has just now died! But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live again!" BSB BSB: While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.”
19 UDB So Jesus got up, and he and the disciples went with the man. BSB BSB: So Jesus got up and went with him, along with His disciples.
20 UDB Then a woman who had been suffering constant bleeding for twelve years came near Jesus. She came behind him and touched the edge of his garment. BSB BSB: Suddenly a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak.
21 UDB She was saying to herself, "If I just touch his garment, I will be healed." BSB BSB: She said to herself, “If only I touch His cloak, I will be healed.”
22 UDB Then Jesus turned around to see who had touched him. And when he saw the woman, he said to her, "Be encouraged, dear woman. Because you believed that I could heal you, I have healed you." The woman was healed at that very moment. BSB BSB: Jesus turned and saw her. “Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that very hour.
23 UDB Jesus came to the man's house and saw the flute players playing funeral music; there were also many mourners who were wailing loudly because the girl had died. BSB BSB: When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.
24 UDB He said to them, "Go away and stop this funeral music and wailing, because the girl is not dead! She is just sleeping!" The people laughed at him because they knew that she was dead. BSB BSB: “Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.
25 UDB But Jesus told them to get out of the house. Then he went into the room where the girl was lying. He took hold of her hand and she became alive again and got up. BSB BSB: After the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
26 UDB And the people of that whole region heard about it. BSB BSB: And the news about this spread throughout that region.
Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute (Mark 7:31–37)
27 UDB As Jesus went away from there, two blind men followed him and shouted, "Have mercy on us and heal us, you descendant of King David!" BSB BSB: As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 UDB Jesus went into the house, and then the blind men went in also. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to heal you?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord!" BSB BSB: After Jesus had entered the house, the blind men came to Him. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” He asked. “Yes, Lord,” they answered.
29 UDB Then he touched their eyes and he said to them, "Because you believe that I can heal your eyes, I am healing them right now!" BSB BSB: Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
30 UDB And they were able to see! Then Jesus told them sternly, "Be sure that you do not tell anybody what I have done for you!" BSB BSB: And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”
31 UDB But they went out and spread the news in that whole region. BSB BSB: But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.
32 UDB Just when those two men were leaving, some people brought to Jesus a man who was unable to speak because a demon controlled him. BSB BSB: As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus.
33 UDB After Jesus had driven out the demon, the man began to speak! The crowds saw this and they were astonished and said, "Never before have we seen anything as marvelous as this happen in Israel!" BSB BSB: And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
34 UDB But the Pharisees said, "It is Satan, who rules the demons, who enables this man to drive out demons from people." BSB BSB: But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.”
The Lord of the Harvest (Luke 10:1–12)
35 UDB Then Jesus and his disciples went through many of the cities and towns in the district of Galilee. He was teaching in the synagogues and preaching the good news about how God will rule from heaven. He also was healing the people who had various diseases and illnesses. BSB BSB: Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.
36 UDB When he saw the crowds of people, he pitied them because they were upset and worried. They were like sheep that do not have a shepherd. BSB BSB: When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 UDB Then he said to his disciples, "The people who are ready to receive my message are like a field where the crops are ready to be harvested. But there are not many people who go to gather the crops. BSB BSB: Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38 UDB So pray and ask the Lord to send many more people to gather in his crops." BSB BSB: Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”