Open English Translation MAT Chapter 9

9 So Yeshua got into a boat and crossed back over to his own city of Capernaum. 2 Some people there brought a paralysed man to him lying on a stretcher. And when Yeshua saw their faith, he said to the man, “Son, be encouraged. Your sins are forgiven.”

3 Immediately some of the religious teachers said among themselves, “This man’s claiming God’s authority.”

4 But Yeshua knew their thoughts and said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? 5 Do you think it’s easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 But so that you’ll know that humanity’s child has the authority here on earth to forgive sins,” he said, “stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”

7 Then the man stood up and went off home. 8 The crowds were struck with fear after seeing this, yet they praised God for giving people such authority.

9 And as Yeshua was leaving there, he saw a man called Matthew (also known as Levi) sitting in the tax office. He said to Matthew, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

10 Later, when Yeshua was eating at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came in and sat at the table together with Yeshua and his apprentices.[ref] 11 Some people from the Pharisee party noticed this and said to his apprentices, “How come your teacher eats with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 But Yeshua heard this and said, “People who are well don’t need a doctor—only the ones with problems do. 13 So go and find out the meaning of this: I like mercy, not sacrifice. After all, it’s sinners that I came to call, not people who are considered righteous.”[ref]

14 Then Yohan’s apprentices approached Yeshua and said, “How come we and the Pharisees fast regularly, but your apprentices don’t fast?”

15 And Yeshua replied to them, “Surely the groomsmen aren’t sad while the groom is with them? But the time will come when the groom has to leave them, and then they’ll fast.

16 No one patches old clothes with new material, because the patch will shrink and the clothes would end up with a worse hole. 17 And they don’t put new wine into an old container, otherwise the container could split and be ruined, and the wine would be lost. Instead, they put new wine into a new container, and both survive.”

18 While Yeshua was speaking to them, an official came and bowed to him, saying, “My daughter’s just passed away, but come and put your hand on her, and she’ll revive.

19 So Yeshua and his disciples got up and followed him.

20 Just then, a woman who’d been bleeding internally for twelve years came up behind Yeshua and touched the edge of his robe, 21 because she’d told herself that if she could just touch his robe, she’d be healed.

22 Yeshua turned and saw her and said, “Be encouraged, daughter, your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed that very moment.

23 Now when Yeshua went into the official’s house, he saw the funeral musicians and the distressed people, 24 and he said, “Go away. The girl hasn’t died—she’s sleeping.” But they ridiculed him. 25 However, when the crowd was moved out, he went in and took her hand, and the girl got up. 26 Then the news of this spread all around that region.

27 As Yeshua left the official’s home, two blind men followed him and called out, “David’s descendant, have mercy on us.”

28 When he went into the house, the blind men went to him, and Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I’m able to do this?”

They replied, “Yes, master.”

29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “It’ll happen in line with your faith.” 30 Then their eyes were healed, and Yeshua told them, “Don’t let anyone know about this.”

31 But after they’d gone, the men told the whole region about him.

32 As they were leaving, some people brought a man to Yeshua who was demon-possessed and unable to talk. 33 After the demon was driven out, the man was able to speak, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever happened before in Yisrael.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons with the help of the demons’ ruler.”[ref]

35 And Yeshua went around teaching in the Jewish meeting halls in all the cities and villages, announcing the good news about the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.[ref] 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt for them because they were tired and stressed like sheep with no shepherd.[ref] 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but there’s not enough workers.[ref] 38 So ask the owner of the harvest to send more workers to help with it.”