5One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.G1161G1096G1722G3793G1945G846G191G3056G2316G2532G846G2258G2476G3844G3041G1082 2He noticed two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.G2532G1492G1417G4143G2476G3844G3041G1161G231G576G575G846G637G1350 3Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.G1161G1684G1519G1520G4143G3739G2258G4613G2065G846G1877G3641G575G1093G2532G2523G1321G3793G1537G4143 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish."G1161G5613G3973G2980G2036G4314G4613G1877G1519G899G2532G5465G5216G1350G1519G61 5"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again."G2532G4613G611G2036G846G1988G2872G3650G1223G3571G2983G3762G1161G1909G4675G4487G5465G1350 6And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!G2532G4160G5124G4160G4788G4183G4128G2486G1161G846G1350G1284 7A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.G2532G2656G3353G3588G1722G2087G4143G2064G4815G846G2532G2064G2532G4130G297G4143G5620G846G1036 8When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me—I'm too much of a sinner to be around you."G1161G4613G4074G1492G4363G2424G1119G3004G1831G575G1700G3754G1510G268G435G2962 9For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.G1063G846G4023G2285G2532G3956G4862G846G1909G61G2486G3739G4815 10His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!"G1161G3668G2532G2385G2532G2491G5207G2199G3739G2258G2844G4613G2532G2424G2036G4314G4613G5399G3361G575G3568G2071G2221G444 11And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.G2532G2609G4143G1909G1093G863G537G190G846 12In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. "Lord," he said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."G2532G1096G846G1511G1722G1722G3391G4172G2532G2400G435G4134G3014G2532G1492G2424G4098G1909G4383G1189G846G3004G2962G1437G2309G1410G2511G3165G2511 13Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.G2532G1614G5495G680G846G2036G2309G2511G2532G2112G3014G565G575G846 14Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, "Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."G2532G846G3853G846G2036G3367G235G565G1166G4572G2409G2532G4374G4012G4675G2512G2531G3475G4367G1519G3142G846 15But despite Jesus' instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.G1161G3123G1330G3056G1330G4012G846G2532G4183G3793G4905G191G2532G2323G5259G846G575G846G769 16But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.G1161G2258G5298G846G1722G2048G2532G4336 17One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. And the Lord's healing power was strongly with Jesus.G2532G1096G1722G3391G2250G2532G846G2258G1321G2532G2258G5330G2532G3547G2521G3739G2258G2064G1537G3956G2968G1056G2532G2449G2532G2419G2532G1411G2962G2258G1519G2390G846 18Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus,G2532G2400G435G5342G1909G2825G444G3739G2258G3886G2532G2212G1533G846G1533G2532G5087G1799G846 19but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.G2532G2147G3361G2147G1223G4169G1533G846G1533G1223G3793G305G1909G1430G2524G846G2524G1223G2766G4862G2826G1519G3319G1715G2424 20Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven."G2532G1492G846G4102G2036G846G444G4675G266G863G4671 21But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"G2532G1122G2532G5330G756G1260G3004G5101G2076G3778G3739G2980G988G5101G1410G863G266G1508G2316G3441 22Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts?G1161G2424G1921G846G1261G611G2036G4314G846G5101G1260G1722G5216G2588 23Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?G5101G2076G2123G2036G4675G266G863G4671G2228G2036G1453G2532G4043 24So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"G1161G2443G1492G3754G5207G444G2192G1849G1909G1093G863G266G2036G3886G3004G4671G1453G2532G142G4675G2826G4198G1519G4675G3624 25And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.G2532G3916G450G1799G846G142G1909G3739G2621G565G1519G846G3624G1392G2316 26Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, "We have seen amazing things today!"G2532G2983G537G1611G2532G1392G2316G2532G4130G5401G3004G3754G1492G3861G4594 27Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him.G2532G3326G5023G1831G2532G2300G5057G3686G3018G2521G1909G5058G2532G2036G846G190G3427 28So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.G2532G2641G537G450G190G846 29Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.G2532G3018G4160G846G3173G1403G1722G846G3614G2532G2258G4183G3793G5057G2532G243G3739G2258G2621G3326G846 30But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?"G2532G846G1122G2532G5330G1111G4314G846G3101G3004G1302G2068G2532G4095G3326G5057G2532G268 31Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do.G2532G2424G611G2036G4314G846G5198G5532G2192G3756G2395G235G2192G2560 32I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent."G2064G3756G2564G1342G235G268G1519G3341 33One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?"G1161G2036G4314G846G1302G3522G3101G2491G3522G4437G2532G4160G1162G2532G3668G3588G5330G1161G4674G2068G2532G4095 34Jesus responded, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.G1161G2036G4314G846G3361G1410G4160G5207G3567G3522G3739G1722G3566G2076G3326G846 35But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."G1161G2250G2064G3752G2532G3566G522G575G846G5119G3522G1722G1565G2250 36Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn't even match the old garment.G1161G3004G2532G3850G4314G846G3754G3762G1911G1915G2537G2440G1909G2440G3820G1490G2532G2537G4977G2532G1915G575G2537G4856G3756G3820 37"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins.G2532G3762G906G3501G3631G1519G3820G779G1490G3501G3631G4486G779G2532G846G1632G2532G779G622 38New wine must be stored in new wineskins.G235G3501G3631G992G1519G2537G779G2532G297G4933 39But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. 'The old is just fine,' they say."G3762G2532G4095G3820G2112G2309G3501G1063G3004G3820G2076G5543
6One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain.G1161G1096G1722G1207G4521G1207G846G1279G1223G4702G2532G846G3101G5089G4719G2532G2068G5597G5495 2But some Pharisees said, "Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"G1161G5100G5330G2036G846G5101G4160G3739G1832G3756G1832G4160G1722G4521 3Jesus replied, "Haven't you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?G2532G2424G611G4314G846G2036G314G3761G314G3761G5124G3739G1138G4160G3698G846G3983G2532G3588G5607G3326G846 4He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions."G5613G1525G1519G3624G2316G2532G2983G2532G5315G740G4286G2532G1325G2532G3326G846G3739G1832G3756G1832G5315G1508G2409G3441 5And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath."G2532G3004G846G3754G5207G444G2076G2962G2532G4521 6On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching.G1161G1096G2532G1722G2087G4521G846G1525G1519G4864G2532G1321G2532G1563G2258G444G2532G846G1188G5495G2258G3584 7The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.G1161G1122G2532G5330G3906G846G1487G2323G1722G4521G2443G2147G2724G846 8But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." So the man came forward.G1161G846G1492G846G1261G2532G2036G444G3588G2192G3584G5495G1453G2532G2476G1519G3319G1161G450G2476 9Then Jesus said to his critics, "I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"G3767G2036G2424G4314G846G1905G5209G5101G1832G4521G15G2228G2554G4982G5590G2228G622 10He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!G2532G4017G846G3956G2036G444G1614G4675G5495G1161G4160G3779G2532G846G5495G600G5199G5613G243 11At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.G1161G846G4130G454G2532G1255G4314G240G5101G302G4160G2424 12One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.G1161G1096G1722G5025G2250G1831G1519G3735G4336G2532G1273G2258G1722G4335G2316 13At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names.G2532G3753G1096G2250G4377G846G3101G2532G575G846G1586G1427G3739G2532G3687G652 14Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter's brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,G4613G3739G2532G3687G4074G2532G406G846G80G2385G2532G2491G5376G2532G918 15Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot),G3156G2532G2381G2385G3588G256G2532G4613G2564G2208 16Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).G2455G2385G2532G2455G2469G3739G2532G1096G4273 17When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon.G2532G2597G3326G846G2476G1909G3977G5117G2532G3793G846G3101G2532G4183G4128G2992G575G3956G2449G2532G2419G2532G3882G5184G2532G4605G3739G2064G191G846G2532G2390G575G846G3554 18They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed.G2532G3791G5259G169G4151G2532G2323 19Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.G2532G3956G3793G2212G680G846G3754G1831G1411G3844G846G2532G2390G3956 20Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.G2532G846G1869G846G3788G1519G846G3101G3004G3107G4434G3754G5212G2076G932G2316 21God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.G3107G3983G3568G3754G5526G3107G2799G3568G3754G1070 22What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.G3107G2075G3752G444G3404G5209G2532G3752G873G5209G2532G3679G2532G1544G5216G3686G5613G4190G5207G444G1752 23When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.G5463G1722G1565G2250G2532G4640G1063G2400G5216G3408G4183G1722G3772G1063G2596G5024G4160G846G3962G4396 24"What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.G4133G3759G5213G4145G3754G568G5216G3874 25What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.G3759G5213G1705G3754G3983G3759G5213G1070G3568G3754G3996G2532G2799 26What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.G3759G5213G3752G3956G444G2036G2573G5209G1063G5024G2596G4160G846G3962G5578 27"But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.G235G3004G5213G3588G191G25G5216G2190G4160G2573G3588G3404G5209 28Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.G2127G2672G5213G2532G4336G5228G1908G5209 29If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.G5180G4571G1909G4600G3930G2532G243G2532G575G142G4675G2440G2967G3361G5509G2532 30Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back.G1161G1325G3956G154G4571G2532G575G142G4674G523G3361G523 31Do to others as you would like them to do to you.G2532G2531G2309G2443G444G4160G5213G4160G5210G2532G846G3668 32"If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!G2532G1487G25G25G5209G4169G5485G2076G5213G1063G268G2532G25G25G846 33And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!G2532G1437G15G15G5209G4169G5485G2076G5213G1063G268G4160G2532G846 34And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.G2532G1437G1155G3844G3739G1679G1679G618G4169G5485G2076G5213G1063G268G2532G1155G268G2443G618G2470G618 35"Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.G4133G25G5216G2190G2532G15G2532G1155G560G3367G560G2532G5216G3408G2071G4183G2532G2071G5207G5310G3754G846G2076G5543G1909G884G2532G4190 36You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.G1096G3767G3629G2531G5216G3962G2532G2076G3629 37"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.G2532G2919G3361G2532G2919G3364G2919G2613G3361G2532G2613G3364G2613G630G2532G630 38Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."G1325G2532G1325G5213G2570G3358G4085G2532G4531G2532G5240G1325G1519G5216G2859G1063G846G3358G3739G3354G488G5213G488 39Then Jesus gave the following illustration: "Can one blind person lead another? Won't they both fall into a ditch?G1161G2036G3850G846G3385G1410G5185G3594G5185G297G3780G297G4098G1519G999 40Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.G3101G2076G3756G5228G846G1320G1161G3956G2675G2071G5613G846G1320 41"And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?G1161G5101G991G2595G1722G4675G80G3788G1161G2657G3756G1385G1722G2398G3788 42How can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.G2228G4459G1410G3004G4675G80G80G863G1544G2595G1722G4675G3788G991G846G991G3756G1385G1722G4675G3788G5273G1544G4412G1385G1537G4675G3788G2532G5119G1227G1544G2595G1722G4675G80G3788 43"A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.G1063G2570G1186G2076G4160G3756G4160G4550G2590G3761G4160G4550G1186G4160G2570G2590 44A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.G1063G1538G1186G1097G1537G2398G2590G1063G1537G173G3756G4816G4810G3761G1537G942G5166G4718 45A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.G18G444G1537G18G2344G846G2588G4393G18G2532G4190G444G1537G4190G2344G846G2588G4393G4190G1063G1537G4051G2588G846G4750G2980 46"So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?G1161G5101G2564G3165G2962G2962G2532G4160G3756G3739G3004 47I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.G3956G2064G4314G3165G2532G191G3450G3056G2532G4160G846G5263G5213G5101G2076G3664 48It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.G2076G3664G444G3739G3618G3614G2532G4626G900G2532G5087G2310G1909G4073G1161G4132G1096G4215G4366G1565G3614G2532G2480G3756G4531G846G1063G2311G1909G4073 49But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins."G1161G191G2532G4160G3361G2076G3664G444G5565G2310G3618G3614G1909G1093G4366G3739G4215G4366G2532G2112G4098G2532G4485G1565G3614G1096G3173
Dublin, OH
, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.G1161
