Matthew 9

1 Jesus got into [entered, stepped aboard] a boat [ship, vessel], crossed over [passed to the other side, traversed the water], and came to His own [private, personal] town [city, community]. word study 2 Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic [sick of the palsy, paralyzed] lying on a mat [bed, couch]. When Jesus saw their faith [trust, confidence in God], He said to the paralytic, “Take courage [be of good cheer, have courage], son; your sins [transgressions, missing the mark] are forgiven [released, left behind].” word study 3 On seeing [perceiving, beholding] this, some [certain] of the scribes [scholars, teachers of the law] said to themselves [within their own minds], “This man [He, the Messiah] is blaspheming [speaking evil, showing disrespect to God]!” word study 4 But Jesus [knowing their thoughts, seeing their reflections] knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor [think, ponder, reflect on] evil [bad, wicked, morally wrong] in your hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions, the inner being]? word study 5 Which [what or who] is easier [more simple or less difficult]: to say [to speak or declare], ‘Your [belonging to you] sins [missing the mark or falling short] are forgiven [released or let go],’ or to say [to speak or declare], ‘Get up [to arise or stand] and walk [to live or follow a path]?’ word study 6 But so that you may know [be aware, understand, perceive] that the Son of Man [the one who came from heaven, having God’s nature] has authority [power, freedom to act] on earth [the physical world, the realm of human existence] to forgive sins [release from guilt, cancel debts]…” Then He said to the paralytic [the man who was ill, crippled], “Get up [arise, stand], pick up [lift, take] your mat [bed, couch], and go [depart, journey] home [to your house, into your life].” word study 7 And the man [he, the one healed] got up [arose, stood to his feet] and went [departed, went away] home [to his house, his own dwelling place]. word study 8 When the crowds [multitudes, large groups of people] saw this, they were filled with awe [fear, wonder] and glorified [praised, honored] God [the one true deity], who had given [bestowed, granted] such authority [power, freedom to act] to men [human beings, people]. word study 9 As Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew [also known as Levi] sitting at the tax booth [the place of toll, a tollhouse]. “Follow Me [accompany Me, be My disciple],” He told him, and Matthew got up [arose, stood up] and followed Him [accompanied Him, became His follower]. word study 10 Later, as Jesus [the Messiah, God’s anointed] was dining [reclining at table, sharing a meal] at Matthew’s house [home, dwelling place], many [a large group of] tax collectors [publicans, gatherers of revenue] and sinners [those who miss the mark, morally flawed] came and ate [shared a meal, broke bread] with Him [the Son of God, Savior] and His disciples [learners, followers]. word study 11 When the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher [a spiritual instructor] eat [partake of food, fellowship] with tax collectors [publicans, those who gathered public revenue] and sinners [those who miss the mark, the unrighteous]?” word study 12 On hearing [to listen and understand] this, Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said, “It is not the healthy [those who are whole, physically or spiritually] who need a doctor [physician, one who heals], but the sick [those who are ill, in a bad state physically or morally]. word study 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire [to will, to intentionally choose] mercy [showing pity, compassion], not [but rather] sacrifice [an offering to God, a gift].’ For I have not come [to arrive, to be present] to call [to invite, to summon] the righteous [just, fair, innocent], but [on the other hand] sinners [those who do wrong, the unrighteous]. ” word study 14 At that time [then, at a specific point] John’s disciples [followers, learners] came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we [we ourselves, as a group] and the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict religious followers] fast [abstain from food, for spiritual growth] so often [frequently, many times], but Your disciples [pupils, followers of Jesus] do not fast [refrain from food, for religious purposes]?” word study 15 Jesus replied, “How can the guests [friends, companions] of the bridegroom [the husband in a newly formed marriage] mourn [feel sorrow, grieve] while He is with them? But the time [appointed season, era] will come when the bridegroom [the beloved, the Messiah] will be taken [removed, absent] from them; then they will fast [abstain from food, humble themselves]. word study 16 No one [nobody, none] sews a patch [a piece of new cloth, unshrunk fabric] of unshrunk [undressed, new] cloth on an old [worn, aged] garment [clothing, robe]. For the patch [new fabric] will pull away [tear, separate] from the garment [clothing, robe], and a worse [more harmful, evil] tear [split, division] will result [happen, occur]. word study 17 Neither do men pour new [fresh, recently created] wine into old [worn out, no longer useful] wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst [tear, rupture], the wine will spill [pour out, be lost], and the wineskins will be ruined [completely destroyed, lost]. Instead, they pour new [youthful, recently made] wine into new [fresh, unused] wineskins, and both [the wine and the wineskins, together] are preserved [kept safe, protected from harm].” word study 18 While Jesus was saying these things [to the crowds, as He taught], a synagogue leader [ruler, chief magistrate] came and knelt before Him [in worship, showing respect]. “My daughter [child, female descendant] has just died [passed away, come to the end of her life],” he said. “But come [approach, draw near] and place Your hand [power, instrument of healing] on her, and she will live [be restored to life, have eternal life].” word study 19 So Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] got up [arose, to wake up or stand up] and went with him, along with [accompanied by, followed] His disciples [learners, pupils, those who follow]. word study 20 Suddenly [at that moment, behold] a woman [a female, either married or unmarried] who had suffered [been afflicted, diseased] from bleeding [a flow of blood, a medical condition] for twelve [a dozen] years came up behind [after, following] Him and touched [to attach oneself to] the fringe [the edge or border] of His cloak [an outer garment, a Jewish prayer shawl]. word study 21 She said to herself [within her heart, in her own mind], “If only [if I may, if it’s possible] I touch [lay my hand on, make contact with] His cloak [garment, outer robe], I will be [made whole, completely] healed [saved, restored to health].” word study 22 Jesus turned [to face her, turning around] and saw her. “Take courage [be of good cheer, have faith], daughter [a female child of God],” He said, “your faith [trust, confidence in God] has healed [saved, made whole] you.” And the woman [a female, a wife] was cured [made whole, restored to health] from that very hour [moment, specific time]. word study 23 When Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] entered [came into, toward] the house [home, physical dwelling] of the synagogue [Jewish meeting place] leader [ruler, chief], He saw [perceived, attended to] the flute players [musicians, minstrels] and the noisy [making a tumult, weeping loudly] crowd [large group, multitude]. word study 24 “Go away [leave, depart, withdraw],” He told them [to the people, unto them]. “The girl [damsel, little girl] is not dead [has not died, has not passed away], but [rather, on the contrary] asleep [sleeping, in a sleep-like state].” And they laughed at Him [mocked, ridiculed]. word study 25 After the crowd [large group of people, multitude] had been put outside, Jesus went in [entered the house, came into the room] and took the girl [little girl, young daughter] by the hand [with his power, in a gentle grasp], and she got up [arose, was raised to life, stood up]. word study 26 And the news [report, fame] about this [event, miracle] spread [went out, went forth] throughout [into all] that region [land, earth, country]. word study 27 As Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] went on from there, two [a pair, a duo] blind [physically and spiritually unable to see] men followed Him, crying out [shouting, pleading], “Have mercy [show compassion, feel sorry] on us, Son [descendant, offspring] of David [the king of Israel]!” word study 28 After Jesus [the Messiah, God’s anointed] had entered [come into, gone to] the house [a physical dwelling or a family], the blind [physically or spiritually unable to see] men came to Him. “Do you believe [have faith, trust] that I am able [have the power] to do [poiesai, make or accomplish] this [a specific work or miracle]?” He asked [inquired, sought to know]. “Yes [verily, truly], Lord [master or ruler],” they answered [replied, responded]. word study 29 Then [at that specific point in time] He touched [laid His hands on, made physical contact with] their eyes [sight, vision, or spiritual perception] and said, “According to [in line with, following] your [personal, individual] faith [trust, confidence in God, having confidence in Jesus’ power] will it be done [happen, come to pass] to you [as a direct result, in your life].” word study 30 And their eyes [the windows of their soul, their vision] were opened [made to see, restored to sight]. Jesus [the Lord, the Savior] warned [sternly charged, commanded] them [the two men, the formerly blind] sternly [with great seriousness], “See [be aware, take heed] that no one [no person, nobody] finds out [discovers, learns] about this [the miracle, the healing]!” word study 31 But they went out [and departed, having gone forth] and spread [published abroad, shared] the news [his fame, report] about Him [Jesus, the Messiah] throughout [in all, across] the land [earth, region, country]. word study 32 As they were leaving [going out, departing], a demon-possessed [under the power of an evil spirit, controlled by a devil] man who was mute [deaf, unable to speak] was brought [led, offered] to Jesus [the Savior, the Messiah]. word study 33 And when the demon [evil spirit, unclean being] had been driven out, the man [who was mute, unable to speak] began to speak [to utter words, to talk]. The crowds [multitudes, large groups of people] were amazed [marveled, felt great wonder] and said, “Nothing [never] like this [such a thing] has ever been seen [appeared, happened] in Israel [the land of God’s chosen people]!” word study 34 But the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] said, “It is by [through the power of] the prince [ruler, chief] of demons [evil spirits, unclean beings] that He drives out [expels, casts out] demons [evil spirits, unclean beings].” word study 35 Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] went through [traveled to, visited] all the towns [cities, villages] and villages [small towns, rural areas], teaching [instructing, guiding] in their synagogues [Jewish meeting places, houses of worship], preaching [proclaiming, heralding] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] of the kingdom [God’s royal power, dominion], and healing [restoring, curing] every [all, each] disease [sickness, malady] and [every kind of] sickness [weakness, infirmity]. word study 36 When He saw [perceived, gazed upon] the crowds [multitudes, large groups of people], He was moved with compassion [deeply felt pity, sympathy] for them, because they were harassed [troubled, distressed] and helpless [fainting, scattered], like sheep [without guidance or care] without a shepherd [leader, guardian]. word study 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest [plenteous, abundant] is plentiful [much, large], but the workers [laborers, those who toil] are few [little, small in number]. word study 38 Ask [pray, beseech] the Lord [God, the supreme authority] of the harvest [the time of reaping], therefore [as a consequence], to send out [to expel, thrust forth] workers [laborers, field workers] into His [belonging to Him] harvest [the act of gathering].” word study