Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26)
1 UST After that, Jesus and his apprentices got into a boat. They sailed across the Sea of Galilee and arrived back in the city of Capernaum, where Jesus was living. BSB BSB: Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.
2 UST Some people brought to Jesus a man who could not move! He was lying on a sleeping pad. Jesus perceived that these people believed{ that he could heal the man}. So, he said to the man who could not move,“Do not worry, young man. I forgive you for 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 UST Some teachers of the Jewish law thought to themselves,“He is insulting God!” BSB BSB: On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
4 UST Jesus realized what they were thinking. He said,“You should not be thinking what is wrong! BSB BSB: But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
5 UST You may think that it is easy to claim to forgive other people for their sins{, since it is difficult to prove whether this has happened}. Similarly, you may think that it is difficult to tell{ someone who cannot move} to stand up and walk around{, since it is easy to prove whether this has happened}. BSB BSB: Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6 UST However, I want you to know that God has authorized me, the Son of Man, to forgive people on earth for their sins.” So, he said to the man who could not move,“Stand up, carry 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 UST Then, the man stood up and went home. BSB BSB: And the man got up and went home.
8 UST Once the large groups of people{ who were near Jesus} saw what had happened, they felt afraid. Also, they praised God for enabling people to do such amazing things. 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 UST As Jesus was walking away from that place, he noticed a man whom people called Matthew. Matthew was sitting in the booth{ where the people came to pay him the taxes that the government required}. Jesus said to him,“Come with me and be my apprentice!” So Matthew stood up and went with him as his apprentice. 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 UST Later, Jesus was feasting in Matthew’ s home. Many people who collected taxes and other sinful people arrived! They feasted with Jesus and his apprentices. 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 UST When the Pharisees saw{ what Jesus was doing}, they told Jesus’ apprentices,“Your instructor should not be feasting with people who collect taxes and other sinful people.” BSB BSB: When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 UST Jesus learned what they said. He answered,“People who are well do not need a doctor. Rather, people who are sick need a doctor. BSB BSB: On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
13 UST You should study and learn from what God has said in the Scriptures:‘What I most want is that people treat each other mercifully, not that people present offerings to me.’ Much like that, I am here not to invite those who think they are righteous to come to me. Rather,{ I invite} those who know that they have sinned{ to come to me}.” 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 UST Sometime later, the apprentices of John the Baptizer visited Jesus. They asked him,“We and the Pharisees frequently do not eat in order to please God. However, your apprentices do not do so. Why 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 UST Jesus answered,“The friends of the bridegroom do not grieve while the wedding celebration is still going on. However, someday the bridegroom will no longer be with his friends. Then they will not eat. 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 UST People do not place a piece of unshrunken cloth on old clothing in order to mend a hole.{ That is} because{, when they washed the garment,} the new piece of cloth would shrink and completely rip out of the clothing. As a result, the hole would become even 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 UST Similarly, people do not put fresh wine into old skin bags{ to store it}. If they did that, the skin bags would tear open{ because they would not stretch when the fresh wine fermented and expanded}. That would ruin the skin bags, and the wine would spill out. On the contrary, people put fresh wine into new skin bags. That way, they do not ruin the wine and the bags.” 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 UST As Jesus was speaking to John’ s apprentices, an important man arrived! He knelt before Jesus and said,“My daughter just died. Please come with me and touch her. That way, 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 UST Jesus and his apprentices stood up, and they went with the man. BSB BSB: So Jesus got up and went with him, along with His disciples.
20 UST Now there was a woman who had been suffering for 12 years from a disease that caused continual bleeding. She thought,“Just touching Jesus’ robe will cure me.” So, she approached Jesus from behind, and she touched the hem of his robe. BSB BSB: Suddenly a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak.
22 UST { After the woman touched Jesus’ robe}, Jesus turned around and looked at her. He said to her,“Do not worry, young woman. Because you believed{ that I could heal you}, you are now well.” At that very moment, the woman became well. 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 UST After that, Jesus arrived at the important man’ s home. He saw{ people grieving there}. Some people were playing instruments, and many people were making a lot of noise. BSB BSB: When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.
24 UST He said to these people,“Leave! The young woman is not dead! She is only sleeping.” Then, the people made fun of him{ for saying that}. BSB BSB: “Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.
25 UST After those people left, Jesus went{ to where the girl was}. He took hold of her hand, and she{ became alive again and} stood 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 UST After that, people throughout that whole area heard about what Jesus had done. BSB BSB: And the news about this spread throughout that region.
Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute (Mark 7:31–37)
27 UST When Jesus left the important man’ s house, two men who were blind went with him. They were shouting,“You who are a descendant of King David, help us!” BSB BSB: As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 UST After Jesus entered the house{ where he was staying}, the blind men approached him. Jesus asked them,“Do you believe that I can heal you?” They answered,“Yes, Lord, we do!” 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 UST After{ they said that,} he touched their eyes. He declared,“I will do for you what you have trusted me to do.” BSB BSB: Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
30 UST Then, they could see. Jesus sternly told them,“Do not tell anyone about what just happened!” BSB BSB: And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”
31 UST However, after the two men left, they told people throughout that whole area about what Jesus had done. BSB BSB: But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.
32 UST While the two men were leaving, some people brought a man to Jesus! A demon was controlling him and keeping him from speaking. BSB BSB: As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus.
33 UST Jesus drove the demon out of the man, and he was able to speak. What Jesus had done impressed the large groups of people{ who were nearby}. They declared,“We have not seen anything like this before in our country 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 UST However, the Pharisees declared,“It is the leader of the demons who enables this man to drive out demons!” 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 UST Jesus traveled to many of the cities and towns{ in that area}. He instructed people{ when they gathered} in the Jewish meeting places. He proclaimed the good news about God’ s kingdom. He cured people who were sick in any way. 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 UST Jesus observed that the large groups of people{ who traveled wherever he went} seemed upset and confused. They were like sheep who did not have a sheepherder{ to lead them and to take care of them}. So, Jesus pitied them. 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 UST So he told his apprentices,“Many people are ready to believe in me, but there are only a few people whom I can send out to help them. BSB BSB: Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38 UST So pray to God{, who wants all of those people to believe,} and plead with him for more people who can go and help them.” BSB BSB: Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”