Open English Translation LUKE Chapter 5

5 [ref]One time when the crowd was pressuring Yeshua that they wanted to hear God’s message as he stood by Lake Galilee, 2 he saw two boats at the edge of the water, but the fishermen had left the boats so they could wash their nets. 3 Yeshua hopped into one of the boats which turned out to be Simon’s, and asked him just to row out a little way from the land. Then Yeshua sat there in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4 Once he’d finished his speaking, he told Simon, “Go out to the deeper parts and lower your nets to catch some fish.”

5 [ref]“Master,” Simon answered, “we worked all through the night and didn’t catch anything, but ok, I’ll do what you say and lower the nets.” 6 [ref]When they lowered the nets, they quickly netted a huge catch of fish, so much so that their nets began to rip 7 and they had to signal to their companions in the other boat to come and help. When they got there, they filled both boats with so many fish that the weight began to sink them. 8 When Simon Peter had a moment to realise what had just happened, he knelt in the boat in front of Yeshua and said, “You must leave me, master, because I’m just a sinful man.”

9 Peter and all those with him were stunned at the size of the catch. 10 This included Yacob and Yohan (Zebedee’s sons) who were his fishing partners.

11 When they got the boats up onto the shore, they left everything there and followed after Yeshua.

12 In one of the towns that they visited, a man covered in leprous lesions lay face down in front of Yeshua when he saw him, and implored him, “Master, if you wanted you’d be able to heal me.”

13 Yeshua reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want it. Be free from this.” Immediately the man was clear of leprosy. 14 [ref]“Don’t tell others,” Yeshua instructed, “but go directly to the priest with the offering commanded by Moses and show yourself to him for clearance and as a testimony to them.”

15 However the news about Yeshua was spreading all around, and large crowds were gathering to listen to him and to be healed from their diseases 16 but then he would withdraw into the wilderness to pray.

17 Yeshua was teaching one day, and some from the Pharisee party and some religious teachers were sitting there listening. They had come from villages all around Galilee and Yudea, and also from Yerusalem, and the power of Yahweh was there enabling Yeshua to heal people. 18 Then, look, some men turned up carrying a paralysed man on a stretcher, and they tried to bring him inside and place him in front of Yeshua 19 but because of the crowd they couldn’t find a way in. So instead, they went up the stairs to the flat roof and removed some tiles in order to let the stretcher down right in front of Yeshua. 20 When he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins have been forgiven.”

21 “Who is this guy who’s insulting God?” the teachers and Pharisees started to say among themselves. “Only God is able to forgive sins.”

22 But Yeshua knew what they were thinking and saying, and answered them, “Why are you reasoning about this in your minds? 23 Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins have been forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 But I’ll demonstrate to you that humanity’s child does have the authority to forgive sins here on earth.” Then he turned to the paralysed man and told him, “Listen to me. Stand up and pick up your stretcher and go home.”

25 Immediately the man stood up right in front of them all, picked up what he’d been lying on, and headed off to his home praising God. 26 Everyone was astounded and they also praised God. But there was also a feeling of fear and they said, “We’ve witnessed something out-of-the-normal today!”

27 Yeshua went outside after that and he saw a tax-collector named Levi sitting in his office and told him, “Come and follow me.” 28 So Levi left everything and went and followed Yeshua.

29 Then Levi prepared a large meal in his home for Yeshua, plus there were also a lot of tax-collectors and others who were sitting with them. 30 [ref]Some from the Pharisees party and religious teachers grumbled at Yeshua’s followers, complaining, “Why are you all eating and drinking with tax collectors and other low-life?”

31 But it was Yeshua that answered, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—only those who’re sick. 32 I didn’t come to call those who’re ‘righteous’, but to call sinners to come and turn from disobeying God.”

33 Then the religious leaders complained, “Yohan’s followers often fast and bring their needs to God, as do the Pharisees, but your followers are eating and drinking.”

34 “You can’t make the best men fast at a wedding,” Yeshua responded, “not while the groom is with them. 35 But yes, there will be a future time when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they’ll fast.”

36 Then he went on to tell them this parable, “No one repairs their old clothes by putting on a patch of new material. If they did, the new patch will likely tear off again, plus it wouldn’t look right anyway. 37 Similarly, no one puts new wine to mature into old wineskins. If they did, the new wine would certainly burst the old wineskin and it would all pour out and the wineskin would be ruined as well. 38 New wine needs to be put into a new wineskin. 39 And no one who’s used to the old ways wants the new, because he’ll claim that the old is good enough.”