Matthew 9:1-12:37

^9:1 And he entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. ² And look, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. And Yeshua, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up. Your sins are forgiven.”

³ And look, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”

⁴ But Yeshua, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk?’ ⁶ 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 up to your house.”

⁷ And he arose and departed to his house. ⁸ Now when the crowds saw it, they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

⁹ And as Yeshua passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. ¹⁰ And it happened as he sat in the house, look, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Yeshua and his talmidim. ¹¹ And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his talmidim, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² When he heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. ¹³ But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

¹⁴ Then John’s talmidim came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your talmidim do not fast?”

¹⁵ And Yeshua 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. ¹⁶ And 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. ¹⁷ Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine pours out, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

¹⁸ While he told these things to them, look, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

¹⁹ And Yeshua got up and followed him, as did his talmidim. ²⁰ And look, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; ²¹ for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”

²² But Yeshua, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

²³ And when Yeshua came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, ²⁴ he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at him.

²⁵ But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose. ²⁶ And the report of this went out into all that land. ²⁷ And as Yeshua passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David.”

²⁸ And when he had come into the house, the blind men came to him, and Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They told him, “Yes, Lord.”

²⁹ Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Yeshua strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.” ³¹ But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

³² And as they went out, look, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him. ³³ And when the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”

³⁵ And Yeshua went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶ But when he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his talmidim, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”

^10:1 And he called to himself his twelve talmidim, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. ² Now the names of the twelve emissaries are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; and Jacob the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; Jacob the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judah Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

⁵ Yeshua sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Do not go among the non-Jews, and do not enter into any city of the Samaritans. ⁶ Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, proclaim, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. ⁹ Do not take any gold, nor silver, nor copper in your money belts. ¹⁰ Take no bag for your journey, neither two tunics, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. ¹¹ And into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. ¹² And as you enter into the household, greet it. ¹³ And if the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And whoever does not receive you, nor hear your words, as you leave that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

¹⁶ “Look, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be cunning as snakes and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of people: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. ¹⁸ Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you over, do not be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. ²⁰ For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

²¹ “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. But when they persecute you in one city, flee to the other. And if they persecute you in the other, flee to the next. For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ “A talmid is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. ²⁵ It is enough for the talmid that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household. ²⁶ Therefore do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not be afraid of 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 Gehinnom.

²⁹ “Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, ³⁰ but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Therefore do not be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. ³² Everyone therefore who confesses me before people, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies me before people, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to send peace on the earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ And a person’s foes will be those of his own household. ³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And whoever does not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever seeks his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ⁴⁰ Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. ⁴¹ The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. The one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink because he is a talmid, truly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

^11:1 And it happened that when Yeshua had finished directing his twelve talmidim, he departed from there to teach and proclaim in their cities. ² Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Messiah, he sent [a message] by his talmidim ³ and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

⁴ And Yeshua answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see ⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. ⁶ And blessed is he who is not offended by me.”

⁷ And as these went their way, Yeshua began to say to the crowds concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one of whom it is written, ‘Look, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Immerser; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² And from the days of John the Immerser until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁶ “But to what should I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions ¹⁷ and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We wailed in mourning, and you did not mourn.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

²⁰ Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin. Woe to you, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will be brought down to Sheol. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you.”

²⁵ At that time, Yeshua answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight. ²⁷ All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

^12:1 At that time, Yeshua went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His talmidim were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Look, your talmidim do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”

³ But he said to them, “Have you not read what David did, when he and his companions were hungry; ⁴ how he entered into the house of God, and they ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the cohanim? ⁵ Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath day the cohanim in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless? ⁶ But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. ⁷ But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁹ And he departed from there and went into their synagogue. ¹⁰ And look, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” that they might accuse him.

¹¹ And he said to them, “Which one of you who has one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹² Of how much more value then is a person than a sheep. Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored whole, just like the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. ¹⁵ But Yeshua, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all, ¹⁶ and commanded them that they should not make him known. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

¹⁸ “Look, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul delights. I will put my Spirit on him; and he will proclaim justice to the nations. ¹⁹ He will not quarrel, nor shout; nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. ²⁰ He won’t break a bruised reed. And he won’t put out a smoldering wick, until he leads justice to victory. ²¹ And in his name the coastlands will hope.”

²² Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. ²³ And all the crowds were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?” ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”

²⁵ And knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and carry off his possessions, unless he first bind the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

³⁰ “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. ³¹ Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.

³³ “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good person out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. ³⁶ But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”