Power to forgive sins

19.1-8: Mk 2.1-12; Lk 5.17-26.And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 29.2: Mt 9.22; Mk 6.50; 10.49; Jn 16.33; Acts 23.11; Lk 7.48.And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4But Jesus, knowing9.4 Other ancient authorities read seeing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he then said to the paralytic — “Rise, take up your bed and go home.” 7And he rose and went home. 8When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Tax collectors and sinners are called

99.9-13: Mk 2.13-17; Lk 5.27-32; 15.1-2; 7.34.As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

10And as he sat at table9.10 Greek reclined in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 139.13: Hos 6.6; Mt 12.7; 1 Tim 1.15.Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Signs of change

149.14-17: Mk 2.18-22; Lk 5.33-39; 18.12.Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast,9.14 Other ancient authorities add a much or often but your disciples do not fast?” 15And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

Signs of faith

189.18-26: Mk 5.21-43; Lk 8.40-56.9.18: Mt 8.2; 15.25; 18.26; 20.20; Jn 9.38.While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 209.20: Num 15.38; Deut 22.12; Mt 14.36; Mk 3.10.And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; 21for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well.” 229.22: Mk 10.52; Lk 7.50; 17.19; Mt 15.28; 9.29.Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, 24he said, “Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26And the report of this went through all that district.

279.27-31: Mt 20.29-34.And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, “See that no one knows it.” 31But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

329.32-34: Lk 11.14-15; Mt 12.22-24; Mk 3.22; Jn 7.20.As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. 33And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marvelled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”9.34 Other ancient authorities omit this verse

Jesus and his apostles

359.35: Mt 4.23; Mk 6.6.And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 369.36: Mk 6.34; Mt 14.14; 15.32; Num 27.17; Zech 10.2.When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 379.37-38: Lk 10.2; Jn 4.35.Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”