1En dag, da Jesus stod nede ved Genesaret Sø, trængte folk sig ind på ham for at kunne høre Guds ord.2Så fik han øje på to både, der lå i vandkanten. Fiskerne var gået fra borde og var ved at rense deres net.3Jesus gik om bord i den båd, der tilhørte Simon, og bad ham lægge lidt fra land, hvorefter han satte sig ned i båden og underviste menneskemængden derfra.4Da han var færdig, vendte han sig mod Simon og hans partner og sagde: „Sejl ud på dybt vand og læg jeres garn[1] ud til fangst!”5„Jamen, mester, vi har slidt hele natten uden at fange noget,” indvendte Simon. „Men når du siger det, så prøver vi igen.”6Det varede ikke længe, før nettene var så sprængfyldte med fisk, at de var lige ved at gå i stykker.7Simon gjorde tegn til deres kammerater i den anden båd, at de skulle komme og hjælpe dem, og snart var begge både så fyldte med fisk, at de var lige ved at synke.8Da Simon Peter så det, faldt han på knæ for Jesus og sagde: „Gå bort fra mig, Herre! Jeg er alt for stor en synder til at være i din nærhed.”9Både han selv og hans medhjælpere var lamslåede og forskrækkede over den mirakuløse fiskefangst.10Det samme var Peters makkere i den anden båd, Jakob og Johannes, Zebedæus’ sønner. Men Jesus sagde til Simon: „Vær ikke bange. Fra nu af skal du være menneskefisker.”11Efter at de havde trukket bådene på land, sagde de farvel til fiskeriet og fulgte nu Jesus på fuldtid som hans disciple.[2]
Jesus helbreder en spedalsk mand
12I en af de byer, Jesus besøgte, var der en mand, som var hårdt angrebet af spedalskhed. Da han fik øje på Jesus, kastede han sig med ansigtet mod jorden. „Herre, hvis du vil, kan du gøre mig rask!” bad han. (Matt 8,1; Mark 1,40)13Jesus rakte hånden ud og rørte ved manden. „Det vil jeg!” sagde han. „Bliv rask!” I samme øjeblik forsvandt spedalskheden.14Jesus forbød ham at sige det til nogen og fortsatte: „Gå hen og lad dig undersøge af en præst, så du kan blive erklæret rask. Og husk at tage den offergave med, som Toraen foreskriver for spedalske, der er blevet helbredt.”15Alligevel spredtes rygtet hurtigt, og store folkemængder kom for at høre Jesus og for at blive helbredt for deres sygdomme.16Jesus trak sig derfor tilbage til øde områder, hvor han havde chance for at være alene og få tid til at bede.
Jesus viser sin magt til at tilgive synder
17En dag, da Jesus var i færd med at undervise, sad der mange farisæere og skriftlærde blandt tilhørerne. De var kommet både fra landsbyerne i Galilæa og Judæa og helt fra Jerusalem, og Guds kraft var til stede, så Jesus kunne helbrede. (Matt 9,1; Mark 2,1)18Så kom der nogle mænd gående med en lam mand på en båre. De forsøgte at komme ind i huset for at lægge den syge foran Jesus,19men det kunne de ikke på grund af de mange mennesker, der var forsamlede. I stedet gik de op på det flade tag, fjernede nogle teglsten og sænkede båren med den syge mand ned lige foran Jesus.20Da Jesus så mændenes tro, sagde han til den lamme mand: „Min ven, dine synder er dig tilgivet.”21Men farisæerne og de skriftlærde tænkte: „Hvad bilder han sig ind? Det er da en hån imod Gud! Kun Gud kan tilgive synder.”22Jesus kendte deres tanker og sagde: „Hvorfor tænker I sådan?23Hvad er lettest at sige: ‚Dine synder er tilgivet,’ eller: ‚Rejs dig op og gå’?24Lad mig nu vise jer, at Menneskesønnen[3] har magt på jorden til at tilgive synder.” Med de ord vendte han sig til den lamme mand og sagde: „Rejs dig op, tag din båre og gå hjem!”25Straks rejste manden sig for øjnene af dem, tog sin båre og gik hjem, alt imens han lovpriste Gud.26Alle de tilstedeværende var ude af sig selv af begejstring og ærefrygt. De priste Gud og sagde: „Vi har set de utroligste ting i dag.”
Jesus elsker dem, det religiøse samfund forkaster
27Da Jesus senere var på vej ud af byen,[4] fik han øje på en mand ved navn Levi, der sad ved toldstedet og opkrævede skat til romerne. „Kom med mig!” sagde Jesus til ham. (Matt 9,9; Mark 2,13)28Straks rejste Levi sig, forlod alt og fulgte med ham som en af hans disciple.29Derefter holdt Levi en stor fest i sit hjem med Jesus som æresgæst. Blandt gæsterne var der mange skatteopkrævere.30Farisæerne og de skriftlærde var forargede og sagde til disciplene: „Hvordan kan I få jer selv til at spise sammen med den slags syndige mennesker?”31Det var Jesus, der svarede: „Raske mennesker har ikke brug for lægehjælp, men det har de syge.32Jeg er kommet for at invitere syndere til at vende om til Gud. Det mener de ‚frelste’ jo ikke, at de har brug for!”
Jesus kommer med en ny lære
33Så var der nogle, der sagde: „Johannes Døbers disciple faster og beder ofte, og det gør farisæernes også. Hvorfor gør dine disciple det så ikke?” (Matt 9,14; Mark 2,18)34Jesus svarede: „Brudgommens venner kan da ikke faste og sørge, så længe de er sammen med ham.35Men der kommer et tidspunkt, hvor brudgommen bliver taget fra dem. Så kan de faste.”36Jesus svarede dem også med følgende billedtale: „Ingen kunne finde på at rive sit nye tøj i stykker for at bruge det til at lappe sit gamle tøj. For det første ødelægger man sit nye tøj, og for det andet passer den nye lap alligevel ikke til det gamle tøj.37Der er heller ingen, der hælder ny vin på gamle lædersække, for når den nye vin gærer, sprænger den de gamle lædersække. På den måde går vinen til spilde, og lædersækkene bliver ødelagt.38Nej, ny vin skal hældes på nye lædersække.39Men de, som er vant til at drikke den gamle vin, vil ikke prøve den ny, for de er overbeviste om, at den gamle vin er bedst.”
1On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, (4.Mos 34,11; 5.Mos 3,17; Josva 12,3; Matt 14,34; Joh 6,1)2and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. (Matt 4,18; Mark 1,16; Mark 1,19; Joh 1,40)3Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. (Matt 5,1)4And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Joh 21,6)5And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” (Joh 21,3)6And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. (Joh 21,11)7They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (Joh 21,4)8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Es 6,5; Matt 8,34)9For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”[1]11And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Matt 19,27; Luk 5,28; Luk 18,28)
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
12While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy.[2] And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” (Matt 8,2; Matt 9,28; Mark 1,40; Mark 9,22; Luk 17,16)13And Jesus[3] stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him.14And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (3.Mos 14,2; Matt 9,30; Matt 12,16; Matt 17,9; Mark 1,34; Mark 5,43; Mark 6,11; Mark 7,36; Mark 8,26; Luk 9,5; Luk 17,14; Jak 5,3)15But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. (Mark 1,45)16But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Matt 14,23; Mark 1,35)
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
17On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.[4] (Matt 22,35; Luk 2,46; Luk 8,46; Ap G 5,34; 1.Tim 1,7)18And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, (Matt 9,2; Mark 2,3; Mark 6,55)19but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. (5.Mos 22,8; 1.Sam 9,25; Neh 8,16; Matt 10,27; Matt 24,17; Mark 2,4; Ap G 10,9)20And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” (Matt 8,10; Matt 8,13; Matt 9,22; Matt 9,29; Matt 15,28; Mark 10,52; Luk 7,9; Luk 7,48; Luk 7,50; Luk 17,19; Luk 18,42; Joh 5,14; Ap G 3,16; Ap G 14,9; Jak 5,15)21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Salm 32,5; Es 43,25; Matt 26,65; Joh 10,36)22When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? (Joh 2,25)23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” (Luk 6,5)25And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. (Luk 7,16)26And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” (Luk 5,25)
Jesus Calls Levi
27After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” (Matt 5,46; Matt 9,9; Matt 11,19; Mark 2,14)28And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. (Luk 5,11)29And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. (Luk 15,1)30And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matt 11,19; Luk 15,2; Ap G 4,5; Ap G 23,9)31And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.32I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Matt 4,17; Matt 11,20; Mark 1,15; Luk 13,3; Luk 13,5; Luk 15,7; Luk 15,10; Luk 24,47; Joh 9,39; Ap G 5,31; 1.Tim 1,15)
A Question About Fasting
33And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” (Matt 11,2; Matt 14,12; Luk 2,37; Luk 11,1; Luk 18,12; Joh 1,35; Joh 3,25; Joh 4,1; Ap G 18,25; Ap G 19,3)34And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? (Joh 3,29)35The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” (Luk 17,22; Joh 16,20)36He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. (Josva 9,4)38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.39And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”[5]