After a miraculous catch of fish, Simon Peter falls at Jesus' knees and follows him. Jesus heals a leper and a paralysed man and calls Levi the tax collector.
1 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 ,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake : but the fishermen were gone out of them , and were washing their nets .
3 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 .
4 Now when he had left speaking , he said unto Simon , Launch out into the deep , and let down your nets for a draught .
5 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 .
6 And when they had this done , they inclosed a great multitude of fishes : and their net brake .
7 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 .
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus ' knees , saying , Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man , O Lord .
9 For he was astonished , and all that were with him , at the draught of the fishes which they had taken :
10 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 .
11 And when they had brought their ships to land , they forsook all , and followed him .
12 And it came to pass , when he was in a certain city , behold a man full of leprosy : who seeing Jesus fell on his face , and besought him , saying , Lord , if thou wilt , thou canst make me clean .
13 And he put forth his hand , and touched him , saying , I will : be thou clean . And immediately the leprosy departed from him .
14 And he charged him to tell no man : but go , and shew thyself to the priest , and offer for thy cleansing , according as Moses commanded , for a testimony unto them .
15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him : and great multitudes came together to hear , and to be healed by him of their infirmities .
16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness , and prayed .
17 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 Judaea , and Jerusalem : and the power of the Lord was present to heal them .
18 And , behold , men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy : and they sought means to bring him in , and to lay him before him .
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude , they went upon the housetop , and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus .
20 And when he saw their faith , he said unto him , Man , thy sins are forgiven thee .
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason , saying , Who is this which speaketh blasphemies ? Who can forgive sins , but God alone ?
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts , he answering said unto them , What reason ye in your hearts ?
23 Whether is easier , to say , Thy sins be forgiven thee ; or to say , Rise up and walk ?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins ,(he said unto the sick of the palsy ,) I say unto thee , Arise , and take up thy couch , and go into thine house .
25 And immediately he rose up before them , and took up that whereon he lay , and departed to his own house , glorifying God .
26 And they were all amazed , and they glorified God , and were filled with fear , saying , We have seen strange things to day .
27 And after these things he went forth , and saw a publican , named Levi , sitting at the receipt of custom : and he said unto him , Follow me .
28 And he left all , rose up , and followed him .
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house : and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them .
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples , saying , Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners ?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them , They that are whole need not a physician ; but they that are sick .
32 I came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance .
33 And they said unto him , Why do the disciples of John fast often , and make prayers , and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees ; but thine eat and drink ?
34 And he said unto them , Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast , while the bridegroom is with them ?
35 But the days will come , when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them , and then shall they fast in those days .
36 And he spake also a parable unto them ; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old ; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent , and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old .
37 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 .
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles ; and both are preserved .
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new : for he saith , The old is better .