1 And it came to pass, in the multitude pressing on Him to hear the word of God, that He was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and He saw two boats standing beside the lake, and the fishers, having gone away from them, were washing the nets, 3 and having entered into one of the boats, that was Simon’s, He asked him to put back a little from the land, and having sat down, was teaching the multitudes out of the boat. 4 And when He left off speaking, He said to Simon, “Put back into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch”; 5 and Simon answering said to Him, “Master, through the whole night, having labored, we have taken nothing, but at Your saying I will let down the net.” 6 And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking, 7 and they beckoned to the partners who are in the other boat, having come, to help them; and they came, and filled both the boats, so that they were sinking. 8 And Simon Peter having seen, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, “Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, O Lord”; 9 for astonishment seized him, and all those with him, at the catch of the fishes that they took, 10 and in like manner also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon; and Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men”; 11 and they, having brought the boats on the land, having left all, followed Him. 12 And it came to pass, in His being in one of the cities, that behold, a man full of leprosy, and having seen Jesus, having fallen on his face, he implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You may will, You are able to cleanse me”; 13 and having stretched forth His hand, He touched him, having said, “I will, be cleansed”; and immediately the leprosy went away from him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, “But having gone away, show yourself to the priest, and bring near for your cleansing according as Moses directed, for a testimony to them”; 15 but the more was the report going abroad concerning Him, and great multitudes were coming together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their sicknesses, 16 and He was withdrawing Himself in the desolate places and was praying. 17 And it came to pass, on one of the days, that He was teaching, and there were sitting by Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who were come out of every village of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem, and the power of the LORD was—to heal them. 18 And behold, men carrying a man on a bed, who has been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before Him, 19 and having not found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the housetop, through the tiles they let him down with the little bed, into the midst before Jesus, 20 and He having seen their faith, said to him, “Man, your sins have been forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks evil words? Who is able to forgive sins, except God only?” 22 And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said to them, “What reason you in your hearts? 23 Which is easier—to say, Your sins have been forgiven you? Or to say, Arise, and walk? 24 And that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins—(He said to the one struck with palsy)—I say to you, arise, and having taken up your little bed, be going on to your house.” 25 And immediately having risen before them, having taken up that on which he was lying, he went away to his house, glorifying God, 26 and astonishment took all, and they were glorifying God, and were filled with fear, saying, “We saw strange things today.” 27 And after these things He went forth, and beheld a tax collector, by name Levi, sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow Me”; 28 and he, having left all, having arisen, followed Him. 29 And Levi made a great entertainment to Him in his house, and there was a great multitude of tax collectors and others who were with them reclining, 30 and the scribes and the Pharisees among them were murmuring at His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answering said to them, “They who are well have no need of a physician, but they that are ill: 32 I did not come to call righteous men, but sinners, to conversion.” 33 And they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make supplications—in like manner also those of the Pharisees—but Yours eat and drink?” 34 And He said to them, “Are you able to make the sons of the bride-chamber—in the Bridegroom being with them—to fast? 35 But days will come, and when the Bridegroom may be taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” 36 And He spoke also an allegory to them: “No one puts a patch of new clothing on old clothing, and if otherwise, the new also makes a split, and with the old the patch does not agree, that is from the new. 37 And no one puts new wine into old skins, and if otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; 38 but new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved together; 39 and no one having drunk old, immediately wishes new, for he says, The old is better.”