The First Disciples
(Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 13:47-52; Mark 1:16-20; John 1:35-42)

1And it came to pass, in the crowd pressing on Him also to hear the word of God, and He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,a 2and He saw two boats lying by the lake, but the fishermen, having gone out from them, were washing the nets. 3And having entered into one of the boats which was Simon’s, He asked him to put off a little from the land. And having sat down, He was teaching the crowds from the boat.

4And when He left off speaking, He said to Simon, “Put off into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5And Simon answering, said, “Master, having toiled through whole night, we have taken nothing; but at Your word, I will let down the nets.” 6And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking. 7And they beckoned to the partners in the other boat, having come, to help them, and they came and filled both boats, so that they were sinking.

8And having seen, Simon Peter fell at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, Lord. For I am a sinful man.” 9For amazement laid hold on him, and on all those with him, at the catch of the fish which they had taken, 10and likewise also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said to Simon, “Fear not; from now on you will be catching men.” 11And having brought the boats to the land, having left all, they followed Him.

The Leper's Prayer
(Leviticus 14:1-32; Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45)

12And it came to pass in His being in one of the cities, that behold, a man full of leprosy,b and having seen Jesus, having fallen upon his face, begged Him, saying, “Lord, if You would be willing, You are able to cleanse me.”

13And having stretched out the hand, He touched him, saying, “I am willing; be you cleansed!” And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

14And He ordered him to tell no one: “But having gone, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

15And the report concerning Him was spread abroad still more; and great crowds were coming to hear and to be healed from their sicknesses. 16And He Himself was withdrawing into the wilderness and praying.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic
(Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12)

17And it came to pass on one of the days that He was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were there sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee, and of Judea, and of Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was there for Him to heal.

18And behold, men carrying upon a mat a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and to place him before Him. 19And not having found what way they should bring him in, on account of the crowd, having gone up on the housetop, they let him down with the mat through the tiles, into the midst before Jesus.

20And having seen their faith, He said, “Man, your sins have been forgiven you.”

21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins, except God alone?”

22And Jesus, having known their reasonings, answering, said to them, “Why do you reason in your hearts? 23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins...” He said to the one having been paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, and having taken up your mat, go to your house.”

25And immediately having stood up before them, having taken up that on which he was lying, he departed to his home, glorifying God. 26And amazement seized all, and they were glorifying God, and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

The Calling of Levi
(Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17)

27And after these things He went forth and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28And having left all, having arisen, he began to follow Him.

29And Levi made a great banquet for Him in his house, and there was a great multitude of tax collectors and others, who were reclining with them. 30And the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”

31And Jesus answering, said to them, “Those being well have no need of a physician, but those being sick. 32I have not come to call righteous ones, but sinners, to repentance.”

Questions about Fasting
(Matthew 9:14-15; Mark 2:18-20)

33And they said to Him, “The disciples of John fast often and make prayers; likewise also those of the Pharisees; but Yours eat and drink.”

34And Jesus said to them, “Are you able to make the sons of the bridechamber to fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35But days will come also when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

The Patches and the Wineskins
(Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22)

36And He was speaking also a parable to them: “No one having torn a piece of new a garment, puts it on an old garment; but if otherwise, he will tear the new also, and the old will not match the piece which is of the new.

37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if now otherwise, the new wine will burst the wineskins, and it will be spilled out, and the wineskins will be destroyed. 38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39And no one having drunk old wine desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”