CHAPTER XII.
GREAT DRAUGHT OF FISHES—HEALS A LEPER—MATTHEW CALLED.
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, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
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. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
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. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which 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.
When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man,
O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: and so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon,
Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold, there came a man full of leprosy to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, worshipped him, and fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him,
I will; be thou clean.
And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straightly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him,
See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
But he went out, and began to publish it much,
and to blaze abroad the matter. And great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. And they came to him from every quarter. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy; which was borne of four. And they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, nigh unto him, because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let him down through the tiling with his couch wherein the sick of the palsy lay, into the midst before Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy,
Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason,
in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them,
Why reason ye these things? Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men; and were filled with fear, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. We have seen strange things to day.
And after these things he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew,
(a publican named Levi) the son of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said unto him,
Follow me.
And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they murmured against his disciples, saying, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them,
They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, often, and make prayers, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them,
Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they
[61]cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
And he spake also a parable unto them;
No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.