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The Man Who Could Not Move

¹ Jesus got in a boat and headed for the town where he was raised. ² Some fellows brought him a guy who was paralyzed and could not move, lying on a bedroll. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the guy on the bedroll, "Don't worry amigo, your sins are forgiven."

³ Some teachers of the Law said to each other, "This fella can't do that and get away with it!"

⁴ Jesus knew what they were thinking and saying. He said to them, "Why are your minds filled with evil? ⁵ What's easier for me to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk?' ⁶ Just so you know, the Boss's Son can forgive sins here on earth." Then he told the man who couldn't move, "Get up, take your bedroll and mosey on back home." ⁷ The man did just that. ⁸ When everyone saw this, they were amazed and praised the Boss, who had given this type of authority and power to men.

Jesus Sups with Sinners

⁹ When Jesus left there, he saw a guy named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's shack. "Come on," he told him and Matthew left everything right there and went with him.

¹⁰ Jesus went to Matthew's house and supped with him. A lot of Matthew's friends, mostly outlaws and politicians who were crooked, came and ate with them and Jesus's hands. ¹¹ When the religious know-it-alls (Pharisees) seen this, they asked Jesus's cowboys, "Why does your trail boss eat with outlaws and no-accounts?"

¹² Jesus heard 'em and said, "The healthy cattle don't need a vet, the sick ones do. ¹³ You need to head off and ponder what this means, 'I want mercy, not sacrifice.' Because I haven't come to round up the gentle cattle, but I have come to gather the mavericks."

Religious Leaders Question Jesus about Fasting

¹⁴ John the Baptist's day workers came and questioned Jesus about worshiping God by not eating. They asked, "Why is it that the religious know-it-alls and us fast, but your cowhands don't have to?"

¹⁵ Jesus told them, "The folks at a wedding don't get all sad and mopey when the groom is at the party. There will come a time he has to light out and leave 'em. That's when they will fast.

¹⁶ "You don't put an unshrunk cotton patch on a pair of britches that are torn. As soon as you wash them, the patch will shrink and make the tear worse. ¹⁷ Neither do cowboys put new wine into an old wineskin. New wine will ferment and expand, stretchin' the leather bag. If the bag has already been stretched, it's just gonna tear. That's why you put new wine into new leather wineskins and old wine into old wineskins. That way, both are still usable."

Jesus Heals a Couple of Girls

¹⁸ When Jesus was talking, a man who was in charge of running a church came and got down on his knees in front of him. The man said, "My daughter has just died. But I believe if you come to my house, you can raise her from the dead." ¹⁹ Jesus got up immediately and told his hands to come on.

²⁰ Just then, a lady who had been bleeding for twelve years snuck up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his shirt. ²¹ She told herself, "I know I will be healed if I can touch him. Even if it's the edge of his shirt."

²² Jesus spun around and told her, "Cheer up, daughter," he said, "you've just been healed by your faith." From that very moment, the woman was healed.

²³ When Jesus entered the house of the guy whose daughter had died, he saw people cryin' and playin' sad songs on instruments. ²⁴ Jesus told 'em, "This girl ain't dead, she's just asleep." But they all just laughed and mocked him. ²⁵ Jesus told 'em all to get out and when they were all outside, he went into the little girl's bedroom. Jesus went up to her and took her by the hand and she stood up. ²⁶ Word spread around the countryside like wildfire about what had happened.

The Blind and Mute are Healed by Jesus

²⁷ When Jesus left, two blind guys followed him and yelled out to him, "Help us and have mercy on us, Son of David!"

²⁸ He took 'em indoors and asked them, "Do you think I can heal you?"

"Yes, Lord," they said.

²⁹ He reached out and gently touched their eyes and said, "It will be done according to your faith." ³⁰ Just then, their sight was restored. But the first thing they saw was Jesus wagging a stern finger at them. Jesus said, "Don't you tell a soul about this. You understand me?" ³¹ But them fellows went out and told everyone what had happened to them.

³² When Jesus and his cowhands left, a man who was demon-possessed and couldn't talk was brought to Jesus. ³³ Jesus drove the demon out and the man spoke for the first time. Those who were watching stood there with their mouths hanging wide open in astonishment. They said, "No one has ever seen anything as awesome as this in all of Israel!"

³⁴ But the religious know-it-alls said, "He must be working for the devil in order to drive out demons."

Prayer for More Cowboys to Gather Mavericks

³⁵ Jesus went all throughout the country, teaching in their churches, telling the good news of God's Green Pastures and healing every ache and ailment. ³⁶ When he saw all the mavericks, he felt sorry for them because they were shunned and starved, like cattle without a brand and no rancher to take care of 'em. ³⁷ Then he told his cowboys, "The cattle are everywhere, but there just ain't enough cowboys. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the gathering to send out cowboys into his pastures."