The First Disciples (Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; John 1:35–42)
1 UEB Now it happened, while the people were crowding around Jesus and listening to the word of God, that he was standing 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 UEB He saw two boats pulled up by the edge of the lake. The fishermen had gotten 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 UEB Jesus got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put it out in the water a short distance from the land. Then he sat down and taught the people out of the boat. 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 UEB When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Take the boat out into the deeper water and let down your nets for a catch." 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 UEB Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked all night, and caught nothing, but at your word, I will let down the nets." 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 UEB When they had done this, they gathered a very large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. BSB BSB: When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.
7 UEB So they motioned to their partners in the other boat that they should come and help them. They came and filled both the boats, 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.
8 UEB But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord." BSB BSB: When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.” 9 UEB For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken. BSB BSB: For he and his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 UEB This included James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid, because from now on you will 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 UEB When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything 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 UEB It came about that while he was in one of the cities, a man full of leprosy was there. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, saying, "Lord, if you are willing, 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 UEB Then Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing. Be clean." Immediately the leprosy left 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 UEB He instructed him to tell no one, but told him, "Go on your way, and show yourself to the priest and offer a sacrifice for your cleansing, according to what 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 UEB But the report about him spread even farther, and large crowds of people came together to hear him teach and to be healed of their sicknesses. 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 UEB But he often withdrew into the deserted places 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 UEB It came about on one of those days that he was teaching, and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there who had come from many different villages in the regions of Galilee and Judea, and also from the town of Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal. 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 UEB Now some men came, carrying on a mat a man that was paralyzed, and they looked for a way to bring him inside in order to lay him down in front of Jesus. 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 UEB They could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, so they went up to the housetop and let the man down through the tiles, on his mat, into the midst of the people, right in front of 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 UEB Seeing their faith, Jesus said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." BSB BSB: When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 UEB The scribes and the Pharisees began to question this, saying, "Who is this who 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 UEB But Jesus, perceiving what they were thinking, answered and said to them, "Why are you questioning this in your hearts? BSB BSB: Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus replied, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
23 UEB Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you' or to say 'Get up and walk?' BSB BSB: Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
24 UEB But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,"—he said to the paralysed man—"I tell you, get up, pick up your mat and go to 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 UEB Immediately he got up in front of them and picked up the mat on which he was lying. Then he went away to his 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 UEB Everyone was amazed and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today." 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 UEB After these things happened, Jesus went out from there and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax collector's tent. 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 UEB So Levi got up and followed him, leaving everything behind. BSB BSB: and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.
29 UEB Then Levi gave a big banquet in his house for Jesus. There were many tax collectors there and other people who were reclining at the table and eating 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 UEB But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other sinful people?" BSB BSB: But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 UEB Jesus answered them, "People who are well do not need a physician; only those who are sick. BSB BSB: Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
32 UEB I did not come to call righteous people to repentance, but to call 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 UEB They said to him, "The disciples of John often fast and pray, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same. But your disciples 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 UEB Jesus said to them, "Can anyone make the wedding attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is still with them? BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?
35 UEB But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, then in those days they will fast." 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 UEB Then Jesus also spoke a parable to them. "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to mend an old garment. If he did that, he would tear the new garment, and the piece of cloth from the new garment would not fit with the cloth of the old garment. 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 UEB No one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does that, the new wine would burst the skins, and the wine would be spilled, and the wineskins would be destroyed. 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 UEB But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. BSB BSB: Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.
39 UEB No one after drinking old wine wants the 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.’”