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¹ IT came to pass when the people gath ered around him to hear the word of God, he stood on the shore of the lake of Gennesaret.² And he saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had got out of them, and were washing their nets.³ One of them belonged to Simon Peter; so Jesus went up and sat in it, and he asked to row it a little way from the shore to the water. And he sat and taught the people from the boat.⁴ When he was through speaking, he said to Simon, Row out to the deep, and cast your net for a catch.⁵ Simon answered and said to him, Teacher, we have toiled all night, and have caught nothing; but just because of your word, I will cast the net.⁶ And when they had done this, they inclosed a great many fish; and their net was breaking.⁷ So they signalled to their partners in the other boat, to come and help them. And when they came, they filled both the boats, till they were almost sinking.⁸ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell at the feet of Jesus, and said to him, I beg you, my Lord, leave me alone, for I am a sinful man.⁹ For he was amazed, and all who were with him, because of the catch of fish which they took.¹⁰ So also was it with James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. But Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid; from henceforth you will be catching men for life.¹¹ And they brought the boats to land, and left everything and followed him.

¹² When Jesus was in one of the cities, there came a man who was covered with leprosy; and he saw Jesus and fell on his face, and besought him, and said, My Lord, if you will, you can cleanse me.¹³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, I will, be clean; and immediately his leprosy left him.¹⁴ And he charged him not to tell any man; but go and show yourself to the priests, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.¹⁵ And the fame concerning him went out the more; and many people gathered to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases.¹⁶ But he departed into the wilderness, and prayed.

¹⁷ It came to pass on one of the days when Jesus was teaching, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were sitting, who had come from every town of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem. And the power of God was present to heal them.¹⁸ And some men brought a paralytic on a quilt-bed; and they wanted to go in and lay him before him.¹⁹ And when they found they were not able to carry him in, because of many people, they went up on the roof, and they lowered him down on his quilt-bed from the ceiling into the midst before Jesus.²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Man, your sins are forgiven.²¹ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason saying, Who is this man who talks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins, except God only?²² But Jesus knew their thoughts, and he answered and said to them, What do you reason in your heart?²³ Which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven, or just to say, Arise and walk?²⁴ But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic, I tell you, Arise, take up your quilt-bed and go to your home.²⁵ And immediately he rose up before their eyes, and took his quilt-bed and went to his house, praising God.²⁶ And every man was seized with amazement, and they praised God, and were filled with fear, saying, To-day we have seen wonders.

²⁷ After these things, Jesus went out and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the custom house; and he said to him, Follow me.²⁸ So he left everything, and rose up, and went after him.²⁹ And Levi gave him a great reception in his house; and there was a large gathering of publicans and others, who were guests with them.³⁰ And the scribes and the Pharisees murmured and said to his disciples, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?³¹ And Jesus answered and said to them, A physician is not needed for those who are well, but for those who are seriously sick.³² I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.³³ They said to him, Why do the disciples of John always fast and pray, and also those of the Pharisees; but yours eat and drink?³⁴ He said to them, You cannot make the sons of the wedding feast fast, so long as the bridegroom is with them.³⁵ But the days will come, when the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast in those days.³⁶ And he told them a parable, No man cuts a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on a worn out garment; so that he may not cut the new, and the new piece will not blend with the old.³⁷ No man pours new wine into worn out skins; else the new wine will rend the skins, and the wine will run out, and the skins will be ruined.³⁸ But they pour new wine into new skins, and both are well preserved.³⁹ And no man drinks old wine, and immediately wants new wine; for he says, The old is delicious.