1One day Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee. The people crowded around him and listened to the word of God.2Jesus saw two boats at the edge of the water. They had been left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.3He got into the boat that belonged to Simon. Jesus asked him to go out a little way from shore. Then he sat down in the boat and taught the people.4When he finished speaking, he turned to Simon. Jesus said, ‘Go out into deep water. Let down the nets so you can catch some fish.’5Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’6When they had done so, they caught a large number of fish. There were so many that their nets began to break.7So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. ‘Go away from me, Lord!’ he said. ‘I am a sinful man!’9He and everyone with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught.10So were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who worked with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid. From now on you will fish for people.’11So they pulled their boats up on shore. Then they left everything and followed him.
Jesus heals a man who had a skin disease
12While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along. He had a skin disease all over his body. When he saw Jesus, the man fell with his face to the ground. He begged him, ‘Lord, if you are willing to make me “clean”, you can do it.’13Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing to do it,’ he said. ‘Be “clean”!’ Right away the disease left him.14Then Jesus ordered him, ‘Don’t tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people that you are “clean”. ’15But the news about Jesus spread even more. So crowds of people came to hear him. They also came to be healed of their diseases.16But Jesus often went away to be by himself and pray.
Jesus forgives and heals a man who could not walk
17One day Jesus was teaching. Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. They heard that the Lord had given Jesus the power to heal those who were ill.18So some men came carrying a man who could not walk. He was lying on a mat. They tried to take him into the house to place him in front of Jesus.19They could not find a way to do this because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. Then they lowered the man on his mat through the opening in the roof tiles. They lowered him into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.20When Jesus saw that they had faith, he spoke to the man. He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to think, ‘Who is this fellow who says such an evil thing? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’22Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he asked, ‘Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?23Is it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven”? Or to say, “Get up and walk”?24But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he spoke to the man who could not walk. ‘I tell you,’ he said, ‘get up. Take your mat and go home.’25Right away, the man stood up in front of them. He took his mat and went home praising God.26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with wonder. They said, ‘We have seen unusual things today.’
Jesus chooses Levi and eats with sinners
27After this, Jesus left the house. He saw a tax collector sitting at the tax booth. The man’s name was Levi. ‘Follow me’, Jesus said to him.28Levi got up, left everything and followed him.29Then Levi gave a huge banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.30But the Pharisees and their teachers of the law complained to Jesus’ disciples. They said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’31Jesus answered them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Ill people do.32I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to turn away from their sins.’
Jesus is asked about fasting
33Some of the people who were there said to Jesus, ‘John’s disciples often pray and go without eating. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. But yours go on eating and drinking.’34Jesus answered, ‘Can you make the friends of the groom fast while he is with them?35But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. In those days they will go without eating.’36Then Jesus gave them an example. He said, ‘No one tears a piece out of new clothes to patch old clothes. Otherwise, they will tear the new clothes. Also, the patch from the new clothes will not match the old clothes.37No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins. The wine will run out, and the wineskins will be destroyed.38No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.39After drinking old wine, no one wants the new. They say, “The old wine is better.” ’
Luke 5
English Standard Version
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
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, (Nu 34:11; De 3:17; Jos 12:3; Mt 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. (Mt 4:18; Mr 1:16; Mr 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. (Mt 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.” (Isa 6:5; Mt 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. (Mt 19:27; Lu 5:28; Lu 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.” (Mt 8:2; Mt 9:28; Mr 1:40; Mr 9:22; Lu 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.” (Le 14:2; Mt 9:30; Mt 12:16; Mt 17:9; Mr 1:34; Mr 5:43; Mr 6:11; Mr 7:36; Mr 8:26; Lu 9:5; Lu 17:14; Jas 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. (Mr 1:45)16But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Mt 14:23; Mr 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] (Mt 22:35; Lu 2:46; Lu 8:46; Ac 5:34; 1Ti 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, (Mt 9:2; Mr 2:3; Mr 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. (De 22:8; 1Sa 9:25; Ne 8:16; Mt 10:27; Mt 24:17; Mr 2:4; Ac 10:9)20And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” (Mt 8:10; Mt 8:13; Mt 9:22; Mt 9:29; Mt 15:28; Mr 10:52; Lu 7:9; Lu 7:48; Lu 7:50; Lu 17:19; Lu 18:42; Joh 5:14; Ac 3:16; Ac 14:9; Jas 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?” (Ps 32:5; Isa 43:25; Mt 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.” (Lu 6:5)25And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. (Lu 7:16)26And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” (Lu 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.” (Mt 5:46; Mt 9:9; Mt 11:19; Mr 2:14)28And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. (Lu 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. (Lu 15:1)30And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mt 11:19; Lu 15:2; Ac 4:5; Ac 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.” (Mt 4:17; Mt 11:20; Mr 1:15; Lu 13:3; Lu 13:5; Lu 15:7; Lu 15:10; Lu 24:47; Joh 9:39; Ac 5:31; 1Ti 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.” (Mt 11:2; Mt 14:12; Lu 2:37; Lu 11:1; Lu 18:12; Joh 1:35; Joh 3:25; Joh 4:1; Ac 18:25; Ac 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.” (Lu 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. (Jos 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]