1 And it came to pass that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret 2 and saw two ships that were by the shore of the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing; nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, who were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down on his knees before Jesus, saying, Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. 9 For he was overcome with fear, and all that were with him, at the catch of the fishes which they had taken; 10 and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from now on thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him.
12 And it came to pass when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy who, seeing Jesus, fell on his face and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13 And he put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one. But go and show thyself to the priest and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 15 But so much the more his fame went forth, and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16 But he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed.
17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every town of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before him. 19 And when they could not find any way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 Then Jesus, knowing their thoughts and answering them said, What reason ye in your hearts? 23 What is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man has power upon earth to forgive sins (he said unto the paralytic), I say unto thee, Arise and take up thy couch and go to thine house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them and took up that upon which he lay and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen marvels today.
27 And after these things he went forth and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said unto him, Follow me. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 And Levi made a great banquet in his own house and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down at the table with them. 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, Those that are whole have no need of a physician, but those that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 Then they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink? 34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 36 And he also spoke a parable unto them: No one takes a piece of a new garment to mend an old one; if otherwise, then the new one is rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new does not agree with the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled and the wineskins shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 39 No one also having drunk of the old straightway desires the new, for he says, The old is better.