Luke 5

Christ teacheth the multitude out of Peters ship 4 and after a miraculous drought of fish promiseth to make him and his companions fishers of men 12 cleanseth the leaper 18 cureth one sick of the Palsie 21 and proveth thereby that he hath power to forgive sins 27 calleth Levi sitting at the custome 29 eats with him and other publicans 31 gives reasons for it 33 defends his disciples by divers similitude for not fasting.

1. And it came to pass as the multitude pressed upon him [Gr lay upon against him] to hear the word of God that he stood by the lake Gennesareth [it is otherwise called the sea of Galilee and the sea of the Tiberias being an inlandish meer and lake having no issue into the sea]

2. And he saw two ships lying by the shore of the lake [Gr standing by the lake] and the fisher were gone out of them and rinsed the nets.

3. And he went into one of those ships which was Simons [namely Petrs see verse 8] and preyed him that he would put off a little from the land and sitting down he taught the multitude out of the ship

4. And when he left off speaking he said unto Simon launch forth unto the deep and cast out your nets for to take [Gr for a taking]

5. And Simon answered and said unto him master [Gr Epistata which denotes anyone which is set over other for which the other evangelists use the Hebrew word Rabbi and the Greek word Didascale] we have laboured all the night long and taken nothing yet on thine word [that is command wherein there stood a promise also to be contained] will I cats out the net.

6. And when they had done that they enclosed the net multitude of fishes and their net rent.

7. And they beckened to their comforts [that is which where in the fellowship or company with them] which were in the other ship that they should com to help them [Gr take with them or draw up with them] they came and filled both the ships so that they were ready to sink.

8. And Simon Peter seeing that fell down at the knees of Jesus [for as much as by the miracle he discerned the God head of Christ]saying Lord go out from m [namely as whom am worthy to abide in company as the centurion also said Matthew 8:8] for I am sinful man homo Gr man vr

9. For astonishment had seized him and all were with him at the draught of fishes which they had taken.

10. And likewise also James and John the son of Zebedee which were Simon comforts and Jesus said unto Simon fear not from hence forth thou shall catch man [namely by the preaching of the gospel which is compared to a net Matthew 13:47 see of the Greek word the annotation on 2 Timothy 2 verse 26.]

11. And when they had steered the ships to the land they forsook al and followed him.

12. And it came to pass when he was in one of those cities [although the leapers might not dwell in the cities yet it seems notwithstanding that they might come into the same so as they cried the unclean Leviticus 13:45 Luke 17:12] behold there was a man full of leprosy and seeing Jesus he fell on the face and besought him Lord if thou wilt thou canst cleanse me

13. And he stretching the hand forth touched him and said I will b thou cleansed and straightway the leprosy went away from him

14. And he commanded him that he should not tell it to no man but go thy way say he shew thy way to the priest [see the reason hereof Matthew 12:16] and offer for thy cleansing like as Moses hath commanded a testimony unto them

15. But the fame [Gr the word] of him went forth the more and the multitude came together for to hear and to be healed by him of their sickness

16. But departed into the wilderness and prayed there [Gr he was departing and praying wherebyhere is given to understand that he did thus often see afterwards chapter 6.12 chapter 9vesre 18. 28]

17. And it came to pass in one of those days that he taught and there sate Pharisee and teachers of the law which were come from all towns of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and the power of the Lord was there for to heal them [namely of whom is spoken verse 15 which power here shewed itself because they came to Christ with a firm as it is to be seen verse 20]

18. And behold certain men brought in a beda man that had the palsie [Gr whose sinews were become loose or lither as those that are palsie –struck commonly are] and sougyt to bring him in and lay him before him

19. And not finding where they might bring him in by reason of the multitude they climbed upon the roof [of the condition of the roofs among the Jews see Matthew 10:27] and let him down through the tiles or coverings with the bed in the midst before Jesus

20. And he see [or knowing] their faith [namely both of the sick of the palsie and those that brought him]said unto him man thy sins be forgiven thee.

21. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason saying who is this that speaketh blasphemy who can forgive sins but God alone?

22. But Jesus knowing their reasoning answered and said unto them what reason ye in your heart?

23. Which is easier to say [see Matthew 9:5] thy sins are forgiven thee or to say arise and walk?

24. But that ye might know that the son of man hath power on the earth to forgive sins he said to the sick of the palsie I say unto thee arise and take up thy bed and go thy way to thy house.

25. And he straightway rising up before them having taken up that wherein he had lain [namely the bed with that which belonged to it] went away to his house glorifying [or praising] God.

26. And astonishment [or destruction of senses] took hold of them all and they glorified by God and were filled with fear saying we have seen incredible things today [the Greek word signifies things which are beyond common opinion and expectation]

27. After this went forth [namely towards the sea at Capernaum see Mark 2:1 ,13] and saw a publican name Levi [otherwise also called Matthew a son of Alpheus of this whole history see Matthew 9 verse 9 Mark 2:14] sit in the custom house and said unto them follow me .

28. And he forsaking all rose up and followed him

29. And Levi prepared him a great east in the house and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others which sate down with them

30. And their [namely the multitude there] scribes and the Pharisees murmure against the disciples saying wherefore do ye eat and drink with publican sinners?

31. And Jesus answered saying unto them they that are whole have no need of the physician but they that are sick [Gr they are ill at ease or ill disposed]

32. I am not come to call righteous ones but sinners to repentance

33. And they said unto him why do Johns disciples fast often [namely with extraordinary strict fasting and which is done at set times] and make prayers likewise also the disciples o the Pharisees but thine eat and drink [that is live like other ordinary man]

34. But he said unto them can you make the marriage children [Gr sons of the marriage chamber see Matthew 9 verse14]fast while the bridegroom is with them

35. But the days shall come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them then shall they fast in those days

36. And he said also a similitude [Gr a parable the application whereof see Matthew 9:15] unto them no man set a patch of a new garment upon an old garment otherwise that new rends also the old and the patch of the new agrees not with the old

37. And no man put new wine into old leather bottles otherwise the new wine will make the lather bottles burst and the wine will be spilt and the leather will perish

38. But new wine must be put into new leather bottles and they both are preserved together

39. And no man drinketh old straightway desireth new for he saith the Lord is better [that is more acceptable by reason that men are used to it or because it is more wholesome.]