The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God.
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On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets.
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and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3 He climbed into the boat that was Simon's and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.
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Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch."
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And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. ”
5 Simon said, "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I'll let out the nets."
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And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. ”
6 It was no sooner said than done - a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity.
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And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
7 They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.
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They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
8 Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. "Master, leave. I'm a sinner and can't handle this holiness. Leave me to myself."
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But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. ”
9 When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him.
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For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,
10 It was the same with James and John, Zebedee's sons, coworkers with Simon.
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and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. ”
11 They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.
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And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
12 One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, "If you want to, you can cleanse me."
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While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. ”
13 Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone.
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And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean. ”And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 Jesus instructed him, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed self to the priest, along with the offering ordered by Moses. Your cleansed and obedient life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done."
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And he charged him to tell no one, but“go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them. ”
15 But the man couldn't keep it to himself, and the word got out. Soon a large crowd of people had gathered to listen and be healed of their ailments.
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But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.
16 As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.
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But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and religion teachers were sitting around. They had come from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, even as far away as Jerusalem, to be there. The healing power of God was on him.
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On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.
18 Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They were looking for a way to get into the house and set him before Jesus.
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And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus,
19 When they couldn't find a way in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus.
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but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.
20 Impressed by their bold belief, he said, "Friend, I forgive your sins."
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And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you. ”
21 That set the religion scholars and Pharisees buzzing. "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemous talk! God and only God can forgive sins."
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And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? ”
22 Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking and said, "Why all this gossipy whispering?
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When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts?
23 Which is simpler: to say 'I forgive your sins,' or to say 'Get up and start walking'?
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Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you, ’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
24 Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . ." He now spoke directly to the paraplegic: "Get up. Take your bedroll and go home."
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But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home. ”
25 Without a moment's hesitation, he did it - got up, took his blanket, and left for home, giving glory to God all the way.
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And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God.
26 The people rubbed their eyes, incredulous - and then also gave glory to God. Awestruck, they said, "We've never seen anything like that!"
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And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today. ”
27 After this he went out and saw a man named Levi at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, "Come along with me."
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After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me. ”
28 And he did - walked away from everything and went with him.
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And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.
29 Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner.
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And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.
30 The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. "What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and 'sinners'?"
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And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? ”
31 Jesus heard about it and spoke up, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick?
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And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
32 I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders - an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out."
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I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. ”
33 They asked him, "John's disciples are well-known for keeping fasts and saying prayers. Also the Pharisees. But you seem to spend most of your time at parties. Why?"
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And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink. ”
34 Jesus said, "When you're celebrating a wedding, you don't skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but this isn't the time. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good time.
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And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35 When the groom is gone, the fasting can begin. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!
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The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. ”
36 "No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match.
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He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.
37 And you don't put wine in old, cracked bottles;
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And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.
38 you get strong, clean bottles for your fresh vintage wine.
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But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.
39 And no one who has ever tasted fine aged wine prefers unaged wine."
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And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good. ’”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025