Matthew 9 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.

² Some people brought to Jesus a man that was paralyzed (crippled). The man was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that these people had much faith. So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, you’ll be glad to hear this! Your sins are forgiven.”

³ Some of the teachers of the law heard this. They said to themselves, “This man (Jesus) talks like he is God—that is blasphemy. {\cf2\super [101]} ”

^4-6 Jesus knew they were thinking this. So Jesus said, “Why are you thinking such evil thoughts?

⁷ And the man stood up and went home.

⁸ The people saw this and they were amazed. The people praised God for giving power like this to people.

⁹ When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew. Matthew was sitting at his place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Then Matthew stood up and followed Jesus.

¹⁰ Jesus ate dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors {\cf2\super [103]} and other bad people came and ate with Jesus and his followers.

¹¹ The Pharisees {\cf2\super [104]} saw that Jesus was eating with these people. The Pharisees asked Jesus’ followers, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other bad people?”

¹² Jesus heard the Pharisees {\cf2\super [105]} say this. So Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor. It is the sick people that need a doctor.

¹³ I will tell you something. Go and learn what it means: ‘I don’t want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.’ {\cf2\super [106]} I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.”

¹⁴ Then the followers of John {\cf2\super [107]} came to Jesus. They said to Jesus, “We and the Pharisees {\cf2\super [108]} fast {\cf2\super [109]} often. But your followers don’t fast. Why?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “\{When there is a wedding,\} the friends of the bridegroom {\cf2\super [110]} are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will leave them. The friends are sad when the bridegroom leaves. Then they will fast. {\cf2\super [111]}

¹⁶ “When a person sews a patch over a hole on an old coat, he never uses a piece of cloth that is not yet shrunk. If he does, the patch will \{shrink and\} pull away from the coat. Then the hole will be worse.

¹⁷ Also, people never pour new wine into old wine bags. {\cf2\super [112]} Why? Because the old bags will break. The wine will spill, and the wine bags will be ruined. But people always pour new wine into new wine bags. Then the wine and the wine bags will continue to be good.”

¹⁸ While Jesus was saying these things, a leader of the synagogue {\cf2\super [113]} came to him. The leader bowed down before Jesus and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and touch her with your hand, and she will live again.”

¹⁹ So Jesus stood up and went with the leader. Jesus’ followers went too.

²⁰ There was a woman that had been bleeding for twelve years. The woman came behind Jesus and touched the bottom of his coat.

²¹ The woman was thinking, “If I can touch his coat, then I will be healed.”

²² Jesus turned and saw the woman. Jesus said, “Be happy, dear woman. You are made well because you believed.” Then the woman was healed.

²³ Jesus continued going with the Jewish leader and went into the leader’s house. Jesus saw people there that make music for funerals. And he saw many people there upset \{because the girl died\}.

²⁴ Jesus said, “Go away. The girl is not dead. She is only asleep.” But the people laughed at Jesus.

²⁵ After the people were put out of the house, Jesus went into the girl’s room. Jesus held the girl’s hand, and the girl stood up.

²⁶ The news about this spread all around the area.

²⁷ When Jesus was leaving there, two blind men followed him. The blind men said loudly, “Show kindness to us, Son of David. {\cf2\super [114]} ”

²⁸ Jesus went inside, and the blind men went with him. Jesus asked the men, “Do you believe that I am able to make you see again?” The blind men answered, “Yes, Lord, we believe.”

²⁹ Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “You believe that I can make you see again, so this will happen.”

³⁰ Then the men were able to see again. Jesus warned them very strongly. Jesus said, “Don’t tell any person about this.”

³¹ But the blind men left and spread the news about Jesus all around that area.

³² When the two men were leaving, some people brought another man to Jesus. This man could not talk because he had a demon {\cf2\super [115]} inside him.

³³ Jesus forced the demon to leave the man. Then the man that couldn’t talk was able to speak. The people were amazed and said, “We have never seen anything like this in Israel.”

³⁴ But the Pharisees {\cf2\super [116]} said, “The leader of demons {\cf2\super [117]} (the devil) is the one that gives him (Jesus) power to force demons out.”

³⁵ Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages. Jesus taught in their synagogues {\cf2\super [118]} and told people the Good News about the kingdom. And Jesus healed all kinds of diseases and sicknesses.

³⁶ Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them. Jesus felt sorry for the people because the people were worried and helpless. The people were like sheep without a shepherd to lead them.

³⁷ Jesus said to his followers, “There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them.

³⁸ God owns the harvest (people). Pray to him that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest.”