Lexham English Bible

Matthew 9:5-19 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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

6. But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home.”

7. And he got up and went to his home.

8. But when the crowds saw this, they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

9. And as Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, “Follow me!” And he stood up and followed him.

10. And it happened as he was dining in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners were coming and dining with Jesus and his disciples.

11. And when they saw it, the Pharisees began to say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12. And when he heard it, he said, “Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13. But go and learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

14. Then the disciples of John approached him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

15. And Jesus said to them, “The bridegroom’s attendants are not able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them. But days are coming when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16. But no one puts a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment, for its patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear becomes worse.

17. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wineskins burst and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are destroyed. But they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”

18. As he was saying these things to them, behold, one of the rulers came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter has just now died, but come, place your hand on her and she will live!”

19. And Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.