¶ And it¹ came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake² of Gennesaret,

And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing⁵ their nets.

And he entered into one of the ships, which⁶ was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat⁷ down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch⁸ out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we⁹ have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless¹⁰ at thy word I will let down the net.

And when they had this done, they inclosed¹¹ a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should¹² come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw it, he¹³ fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart¹⁴ from me; for I am¹⁵ a sinful man, O Lord.

For he¹⁶ was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

¶ And so was also James¹⁷, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners¹⁸ with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from¹⁹ henceforth thou shalt catch men.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook²⁰ all, and followed him.

¶ And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man²¹ full²² of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell²³ on his face, and besought²⁴ him, saying, Lord, if²⁵ thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will²⁶: be thou clean. And immediately²⁷ the leprosy departed from him.

And he charged²⁸ him to tell no man: but go, and shew²⁹ thyself to the priest, and offer³⁰ for³¹ thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

But so³² much the more went³³ there a fame abroad of him: and great³⁴ multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

³⁵And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

¶ And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there³⁶ were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem³⁷: and the power³⁸ of the Lord was present to heal them.

³⁹And, 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.

And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went⁴⁰ upon the housetop⁴¹, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

¶ And when he saw⁴² their faith, he said unto him, Man⁴³, thy sins are forgiven thee.

And the scribes⁴⁴ and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies⁴⁵? Who can⁴⁶ forgive sins, but God alone?

But when Jesus perceived⁴⁷ their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What⁴⁸ reason ye in your hearts?

⁴⁹Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

But that ye may know that the⁵⁰ Son of man hath power⁵¹ upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say⁵² unto thee, Arise, and take⁵³ up thy couch, and go into thine house.

And immediately⁵⁴ he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying⁵⁵ God.

And they⁵⁶ were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were⁵⁷ filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

¶ And after these things he went forth, and saw⁵⁸ a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me⁶⁰.

⁶¹And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

And Levi made⁶² him a great feast in his own house: and there⁶³ was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

¶⁶⁴But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that⁶⁵ are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

⁶⁶I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

And they said unto him, Why⁶⁷ do the disciples of John fast often, and make⁶⁸ prayers, and likewise the disciples] of the Pharisees; but⁶⁹ thine eat and drink?

And he said unto them, Can ye make the children⁷⁰ of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom⁷¹ is with them?

But the days will come, when⁷² the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and⁷³ then shall they fast in those days.

And he spake also a parable unto them; No man⁷⁴ 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 agreeth⁷⁵ not with the old.

And no man putteth new wine into old⁷⁶ bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

⁷⁷But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

⁷⁸No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.