Study Desk

When He came down from the mountain, large crowds^(a) followed Him.

Right away^(b) a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before Him,^(c) saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."

Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, "I am willing; be made clean." Immediately his disease was healed.^[a]

Then Jesus told him, "See that you don't tell anyone;^(d) but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed, as a testimony to them." ^(e)

When He entered Capernaum,^(f) a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,

"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony!"

"I will come and heal him," He told him.

"Lord," the centurion replied, "I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be cured.^(g)

For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command.^[b] I say to this one, ‘Go!' and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!' and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following Him, "I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith!

I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.^(h)

But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ⁽ⁱ⁾

Then Jesus told the centurion, "Go. As you have believed,^(j) let it be done for you." And his servant was cured that very moment.^[c]

When Jesus went into Peter's house,^(k) He saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.

So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began to serve Him.

When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. He drove out the spirits^(l) with a word and healed all who were sick,^(m)

so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: He Himself took our weaknesses and carried our diseases. ^(n)[d]

When Jesus saw large crowds^[e](o) around Him, He gave the order to go to the other side of the sea.^[f]

A scribe approached Him and said,^(p) "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go!"

Jesus told him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man^(q) has no place to lay His head."

"Lord," another of His disciples said, "first let me go bury my father."^[g]

But Jesus told him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

As He got into the^[h] boat,^(r) His disciples^(s) followed Him.

Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves. But He was sleeping.

So the disciples came and woke Him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to die!"

But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, you of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea.^(t) And there was a great calm.

The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this?—even the winds and the sea obey^(u) Him!"

When He had come to the other side,^(v) to the region of the Gadarenes,^[i] two demon-possessed men met Him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

Suddenly they shouted, "What do You have to do with us,^[j][k] Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"^(w)

Now a long way off from them, a large herd of pigs was feeding.

"If You drive us out," the demons begged Him, "send us into the herd of pigs."

"Go!" He told them. So when they had come out, they entered the pigs. And suddenly the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.

Then the men who tended them fled. They went into the city and reported everything—especially what had happened to those who were demon-possessed.

At that, the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.^(x)

So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.^(a)

Just then^(b) some men^[a] brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, "Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven." ^(c)

At this, some of the scribes said among themselves, "He's blaspheming!"^(d)

But perceiving their thoughts,^(e) Jesus said, "Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?^[b]

For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Get up and walk'?

But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" —then He told the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your mat, and go home."

And he got up and went home.

When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck^[c][d] and gave glory^(f) to God who had given such authority to men.

As Jesus went on from there,^(g) He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.^(h)

While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat^[e] with Jesus and His disciples.⁽ⁱ⁾

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"^(j)

But when He heard this, He said, "Those who are well don't need a doctor, but the sick do.^(k)

Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. ^(l)[f] For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners." ^[g]

Then John's disciples came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?"^(m)

Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests^[h] be sad while the groom is with them? The time^[i] will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse.

And no one puts^[j] new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

As He was telling them these things,⁽ⁿ⁾ suddenly one of the leaders^[k] came and knelt down before Him, saying, "My daughter is near death,^[l] but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live."^(o)

So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed^(p) him.

Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe,^(q)

for she said to herself, "If I can just touch His robe, I'll be made well!"^[m](r)

But Jesus turned and saw her. "Have courage, daughter," He said. "Your faith has made you well." ^[n](s) And the woman was made well from that moment.^[o]

When Jesus came to the leader's house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.^(t)

"Leave," He said, "because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." ^(u) And they started laughing at Him.

But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.^(v)

And this news spread throughout that whole area.^(w)

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"^(x)

When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe^(y) that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they answered Him.

Then He touched their eyes, saying, "Let it be done for you according to your faith!"

And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, "Be sure that no one finds out!" ^[p](z)

But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole area.

Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him.^(aa)

When the demon had been driven out, the man^[q] spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!"^(ab)

Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,^(ac) and healing every^[r] disease and every sickness.^[s]

When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out,^(ad) like sheep without a shepherd.^(ae)

Then He said to His disciples,^(af) "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.

Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Summoning His 12 disciples,^(a) He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every^[a] disease and sickness.^(b)

These are the names of the 12 apostles:^(c) First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Philip and Bartholomew;^[b] Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;^[c]

Simon the Zealot,^[d] and Judas Iscariot,^[e] who also betrayed Him.^(d)

Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: "Don't take the road leading to other nations, and don't enter any Samaritan^(e) town.

Instead, go to the lost sheep^(f) of the house of Israel.^(g)

As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.'^(h)

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons.⁽ⁱ⁾ You have received free of charge; give free of charge.

Don't take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. ^(j)

Don't take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick, for the worker^(k) is worthy of his food.

"When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave.

Greet a household when you enter it,^(l)

and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it. But if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.^(m)

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet⁽ⁿ⁾ when you leave that house or town.

I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment^(o) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. ^(p)