11Now it happened that while the crowd was pressingaround Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by 2the lake of Gennesaret ;
2
and He sawtwoboatslying at the edge of the lake ; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.
3
And 3He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a littleway from the land. And He satdown and began teaching the apeople from the boat.
4When He had finishedspeaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deepwater and 4letdown your nets for a catch."5Simonanswered and said, "5Master, 6we workedhardallnight and caughtnothing, but bI will do as You say and letdown the nets."
6
When they had donethis, 7they enclosed a greatquantity of fish, and their nets began to break ;
7so they signaled to their partners in the otherboat for them to come and help them. And they came and filledboth of the boats, so that they began to sink.
8
But when SimonPetersaw that, he felldown at Jesus'cfeet, saying, "Goaway from me Lord, for I am a sinfulman, O Lord !"
9
For amazement had seized him and all his companionsbecause of the catch of fishwhich they had taken ;
10
and soalso were dJames and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesussaid to Simon, "8Do not fear, from now on you will be 9catchingmen."11
When they had brought their boats to land, 10they lefteverything and followed Him.
1211While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a manecovered with leprosy ; and when he sawJesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You canmake me clean."
13
And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I amwilling ; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosyleft him.
14
And He ordered him to tellnoone, "But go and 12showyourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Mosescommanded, as a testimony to them."15
But 13the newsabout Him was spreadingevenfarther, and largecrowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16
But Jesus Himself would often slipawayfto the gwilderness and 14pray.
17hOneday He was teaching ; and 15there were some Pharisees and 16teachers of the lawsitting there, who had 17come from everyvillage of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem ; and 18the power of the Lord was present for Him to performhealing.
1819And some men were carrying on a ibed a manwho was paralyzed ; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.
19
But not findingany way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on 20the roof and let him down21through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.
20Seeing their faith, He said, "jFriend, 22your sins are forgiven you."21
The scribes and the Pharisees23began to reason, saying, "24Who is this man whospeaksblasphemies ? 25Whocanforgivesins, but Godalone ?"
22
But Jesus, kaware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts ?23"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk '?24"But, so that you may know that the Son of Manhasauthority on earth to forgivesins,"-He said to the 26paralytic -"I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and gohome."25
Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and wenthome27glorifyingGod.
26lThey were allstruck with astonishment and began 28glorifyingGod ; and they were filled29with fear, saying, "We have seenremarkablethingstoday."
2730After that He went out and noticed a taxcollectornamedm31Levisitting in the taxbooth, and He said to him, "Follow Me."28
And he 32lefteverythingbehind, and got up and began to follow Him.
29
And 33Levigave a bigreception for Him in his house ; and there was a greatcrowd of 34taxcollectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.
3035The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the taxcollectors and nsinners ?"
31
And Jesusanswered and said to them, "36It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.32"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."33
And they said to Him, "37The disciples of Johnoftenfast and offerprayers, the disciples of the Phariseesalso do othe same, but Yourseat and drink."
34
And Jesussaid to them, "You cannotmake the pattendants of the bridegroomfastwhile the bridegroom is with them, can you?35"38But the days will come ; and when the bridegroom is takenaway from them, then they will fast in thosedays."36
And He was alsotelling them a parable : "Noonetears a piece of cloth from a newgarment and puts it on an oldgarment ; otherwise he will bothtear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.37"And nooneputsnewwine into oldwineskins ; otherwise the newwine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.38"But newwinemust be put into freshwineskins.39"And noone, after drinkingold wine wishes for new ; for he says, 'The old is good enough.' "
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