The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 9 -

(Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26)

And climbing into a boat, he crossed the sea, and he arrived at his own city.

And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Be strengthened in faith, son; your sins are forgiven you.”(a)

And behold, some of the scribes said within themselves, “He is blaspheming.”

And when Jesus had perceived their thoughts, he said: “Why do you think such evil in your hearts?

Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?’

But, so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he then said to the paralytic, “Rise up, take up your bed, and go into your house.”

And he arose and went into his house.

Then the crowd, seeing this, was frightened, and they glorified God, who gave such power to men.

Jesus Calls Matthew

(Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–32)

And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And rising up, he followed him.

And it happened that, as he was sitting down to eat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners arrived, and they sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples.

And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

But Jesus, hearing this, said: “It is not those who are healthy who are in need of a physician, but those who have maladies.(b)

So then, go out and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the just, but sinners.”

Questions about Fasting

(Mark 2:18–20; Luke 5:33–35)

Then the disciples of John drew near to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples do not fast?”

And Jesus said to them: “How can the sons of the groom mourn, while the groom is still with them? But the days will arrive when the groom will be taken away from them. And then they shall fast.(c)

The Patches and the Wineskins

(Mark 2:21–22; Luke 5:36–39)

For no one would sew a patch of new cloth onto an old garment. For it pulls its fullness away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.(d)

Neither do they pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wineskins rupture, and the wine pours out, and the wineskins are destroyed. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins. And so, both are preserved.”

The Healing Touch of Jesus

(Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56)

As he was speaking these things to them, behold, a certain ruler approached and adored him, saying: “Lord, my daughter has recently passed away. But come and impose your hand upon her, and she will live.”

And Jesus, rising up, followed him, with his disciples.

And behold, a woman, who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years, approached from behind and touched the hem of his garment.

For she said within herself, “If I will touch even his garment, I shall be saved.”

But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said: “Be strengthened in faith, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

And when Jesus had arrived in the house of the ruler, and he had seen the musicians and the tumultuous crowd,

he said, “Depart. For the girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they derided him.

And when the crowd had been sent away, he entered. And he took her by the hand. And the girl rose up.

And the news of this went out to that entire land.

Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute

(Mark 7:31–37)

And as Jesus passed from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, “Take pity on us, Son of David.”

And when he had arrived at the house, the blind men approached him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you trust that I am able to do this for you?” They say to him, “Certainly, Lord.”

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, so let it be done for you.”

And their eyes were opened. And Jesus warned them, saying, “See to it that no one knows of this.”

But going out, they spread the news of it to all that land.

Then, when they had departed, behold, they brought him a man who was mute, having a demon.

And after the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds wondered, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.”

But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of demons does he cast out demons.”

The Lord of the Harvest

(Luke 10:1–12)

And Jesus traveled throughout all of the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every illness and every infirmity.

Then, seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were distressed and were reclining, like sheep without a shepherd.(e)

Then he said to his disciples: “The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few.

Therefore, petition the Lord of the harvest, so that he may sent out laborers to his harvest.”

Footnotes

(a)9:2 The word ‘confide’ is a combination of the prefix ‘con’ which generally intensifies the meaning of a noun or verb, and ‘fide’ which refers to faith or trust. A translation such as ‘take heart’ or ‘have confidence’ would not be as accurate a translation of the Latin, because the context is that Jesus was responding to their faith. So He said to them, commenting on their faith, ‘be strengthened in faith,’ not merely ‘take heart’ or ‘have confidence.’ Notice that ‘confidence’ more closely resembles the Latin word, yet it is not the best translation.(Conte)

(b)9:12 Or, ‘those who have illnesses.’(Conte)

(c)9:15 Can the children of the bridegroom:This, by a Hebraism, signifies the friends or companions of the bridegroom.(Challoner)

(d)9:16 The word ‘fullness’ is used because it accords well with the spiritual meaning of the verse, where in the new cloth is the New Testament and the Church, even though the word ‘fullness’ as applied to the literal meaning of a piece of cloth is somewhat awkward.(Conte)

(e)9:36 The text literally says ‘like sheep having no shepherd.’ But the commonly used expression ‘like sheep without a shepherd’ also fits the text, and it is a phrase beloved by the faithful, so the translation prefers the latter.(Conte)

(Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26)

He entered into a boat and crossed over, and came into his own city.

Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”

Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.”

He arose and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Jesus Calls Matthew

(Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–32)

As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.

As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ (a) for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (b)

Questions about Fasting

(Mark 2:18–20; Luke 5:33–35)

Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”

Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

The Patches and the Wineskins

(Mark 2:21–22; Luke 5:36–39)

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.

Neither do people put new wine into old wine skins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved.”

The Healing Touch of Jesus

(Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56)

While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples.

Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe

(c)

of his garment;

for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”

But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder,

he said to them, “Make room, because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” They were ridiculing him.

But when the crowd was sent out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

The report of this went out into all that land.

Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute

(Mark 7:31–37)

As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!”

When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.”

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

Then their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.”

But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.

When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”

The Lord of the Harvest

(Luke 10:1–12)

Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed(d) and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”

Footnotes

(a)9:13 ℘ Hosea 6:6

(b)9:13 NU omits “to repentance”.

(d)9:36 TR reads “weary” instead of “harassed”