Matthew 9; Matthew 10

Matthew 9

1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.

2 Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, "Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven."

3 At this, some of the scribes said among themselves, "He's blaspheming!"

4 But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?

5 For which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

6 But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -then He told the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home."

7 And he got up and went home.

8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God who had given such authority to men.

9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.

10 While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples.

11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

12 But when He heard this, He said, "Those who are well don't need a doctor, but the sick do.

13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners."

14 Then John's disciples came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?"

15 Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The days will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse.

17 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

18 As He was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before Him, saying, "My daughter is near death, but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live."

19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe,

21 for she said to herself, "If I can just touch His robe, I'll be made well!"

22 But Jesus turned and saw her. "Have courage, daughter," He said. "Your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that moment.

23 When Jesus came to the leader's house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.

24 "Leave," He said, "because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." And they started laughing at Him.

25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.

26 And this news spread throughout that whole area.

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

28 When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they answered Him.

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "Let it be done for you according to your faith!"

30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, "Be sure that no one finds out!"

31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole area.

32 Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him.

33 When the demon had been driven out, the man spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

34 But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!"

35 Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.

36 When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.

38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Matthew 10

1 Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

2 These are the names of the 12 apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

5 Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: "Don't take the road leading to other nations, and don't enter any Samaritan town.

6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 As you go, announce this: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.'

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge.

9 Don't take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.

10 Don't take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick, for the worker is worthy of his food.

11 "When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave.

12 Greet a household when you enter it,

13 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it. But if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.

14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town.

15 I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16 "Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.

17 Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues, beware of them.

18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations.

19 But when they hand you over, don't worry about how or what you should speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour,

20 because you are not speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.

21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.

22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.

23 When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.

25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how much more the members of his household!

26 "Therefore, don't be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won't be uncovered, and nothing hidden that won't be made known.

27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops.

28 Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's consent.

30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.

31 Don't be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 "Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.

33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

34 Don't assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.

37 The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

38 And whoever doesn't take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.

39 Anyone finding his life will lose it, and anyone losing his life because of Me will find it.

40 "The one who welcomes you welcomes Me, and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.

41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he's righteous will receive a righteous person's reward.

42 And whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple -I assure you: He will never lose his reward!"