"
8:21 Another of the disciples said to Him, "Sir, allow me first
to go and bury my father."
8:22 "Follow me," said Jesus, "and leave the /13 dead to bury
their own dead."
8:23 /1 Then He went on board a fishing-boat, and His disciples
followed Him.
8:24 But /2 suddenly there arose a great storm on the Lake, so
that the waves threatened to engulf the boat; but He was
asleep.
8:25 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Master, save us, we are
drowning!"
8:26 "Why are you so easily frightened," He replied, "you men of
little faith?" Then He rose and reproved the winds and the
waves, and there was a perfect calm;
8:27 and the men, filled with amazement, exclaimed, "What kind
of man is this? for the very winds and waves obey him!"
8:28 /3 On His arrival at the other side, in the country of the
Gadarenes, there met Him two men possessed by demons, coming /4
from among the tombs: they were so dangerously fierce that no
one was able to pass that way.
8:29 They cried aloud, "What hast Thou to do with us, Thou Son
of God? Hast Thou come here to torment us before the time?"
8:30 Now at some distance from them a vast herd of swine were
feeding.
8:31 So the demons entreated Him. "If Thou drivest us out," they
said, "send us into the herd of swine."
8:32 "Go," He replied. Then they came out from the men and went
into the swine, whereupon the entire herd /5 instantly rushed
down the cliff into the Lake and perished in the water.
8:33 The /6 swineherds fled, and went and told the whole story
in the town, including what had happened to the demoniacs.
8:34 So at once the whole population came out to meet Jesus; and
when they saw Him, they besought Him to leave their country.
9:1 /1 Accordingly He went on board, and crossing over came to
/2 His own town.
9:2 Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a /3 bed.
Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage,
my child; your sins are pardoned."
9:3 "Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes /4
among themselves.
9:4 /5 Knowing their thoughts Jesus said, "Why are you
cherishing evil thoughts in your hearts?
9:5 Why, which is easier? --to say, `Your sins are pardoned,' or
to say `Rise up and walk'?
9:6 But, to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on
earth to pardon sins" --He then says to the paralytic, "Rise,
and take up your bed and go home."
9:7 And he got up, and went off home.
9:8 And the crowds were awe-struck when they saw it, and
ascribed the glory to God who had /6 entrusted such power /7 to
a man.
9:9 /8 Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called Matthew /9
sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, /10 "Follow me."
And he arose, and followed Him.
9:10 And while He was reclining /11 at table, a large number of
/12 tax-gathers and notorious sinners were of the party with
Jesus and His disciples.
9:11 The Pharisees noticed this, and they inquired of His
disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers
and notorious sinners?"
9:12 He heard the question and replied, "It is not men in good
health who require a doctor, but the sick.
9:13 But /1 go and learn what this means, <`It is mercy that I
desire, not sacrifice';> for I did not come to appeal to the
righteous, but to sinners."
9:14 /2 At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why
do we and the Pharisees /3 fast, but your disciples do not?"
9:15 "Can the bridegroom's party mourn," He replied, "as long as
the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the
Bridegroom has been taken from them) and then they will fast.
9:16 No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven
cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some of the
old, and a worse hole would be made.
9:17 Nor do people pour new wine into old /4 wineskins.
Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine /5 would escape, and
the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins,
and both are saved."
9:18 /6 While He was thus speaking, a /7 Ruler came up and /8
profoundly bowing said, "My daughter is just dead; but come and
put your hand upon her and she will return to life."
9:19 And Jesus rose and followed him, as did also His disciples.
9:20 But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with
haemorrhage came behind Him and /9 touched the /10 tassel of
His cloak;
9:21 for she said to herself, "If I but touch His cloak, I shall
be cured."
9:22 And Jesus turned and saw her, and said, "Take courage,
daughter; your faith has /1 cured you." And the woman was
restored to health from that moment.
9:23 Entering the Ruler's house, Jesus saw the flute-players and
the /2 crowd loudly wailing,
9:24 and He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not
dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.
9:25 When however the place was cleared of the crowd, Jesus went
in, and on His taking the little girl by the hand, she /3 rose
up.
9:26 And the report of this spread throughout all that district.
9:27 As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed Him, shouting
and saying, "Pity us, Son of David."
9:28 And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you
believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, /4 Sir," they
replied.
9:29 So He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith
let it be to you."
9:30 Then their eyes were opened. And assuming a stern tone
Jesus said to them, "Be careful to let no one know."
9:31 But they went out and published His fame in all that
district.
9:32 /5 And as they were leaving His presence a /6 dumb demoniac
was brought to Him.
9:33 When the demon was expelled, the dumb man could speak. And