| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town. | 1Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. |
| 2Just 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.” | 2Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” |
| 3On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” | 3But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?” |
| 4But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts? | 4Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? |
| 5Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ | 5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? |
| 6But 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.” | 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” |
| 7And the man got up and went home. | 7And the man jumped up and went home! |
| 8When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. | 8Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority. Jesus Calls Matthew |
| 9As 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. | 9As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. |
| 10Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples. | 10Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. |
| 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” | 11But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum? ” |
| 12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. | 12When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” |
| 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” | 13Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” A Discussion about Fasting |
| 14At that time 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?” | 14One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” |
| 15Jesus 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. | 15Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. |
| 16No 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. | 16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. |
| 17Neither 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.” | 17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.” Jesus Heals in Response to Faith |
| 18While 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.” | 18As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.” |
| 19So Jesus got up and went with him, along with His disciples. | 19So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. |
| 20Suddenly a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak. | 20Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, |
| 21She said to herself, “If only I touch His cloak, I will be healed.” | 21for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” |
| 22Jesus turned and saw her. “Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was cured from that very hour. | 22Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment. |
| 23When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd. | 23When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. |
| 24“Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him. | 24 “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. |
| 25After the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. | 25After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! |
| 26And the news about this spread throughout that region. | 26The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. Jesus Heals the Blind |
| 27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” | 27After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” |
| 28After 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. | 28They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.” |
| 29Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” | 29Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” |
| 30And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!” | 30Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” |
| 31But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land. | 31But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region. |
| 32As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus. | 32When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. |
| 33And 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!” | 33So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed. |
| 34But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.” | 34But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.” The Need for Workers |
| 35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. | 35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. |
| 36When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. | 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. |
| 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. | 37He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. |
| 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” | 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” |
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