New Wine in Old Wineskins

Gospel of Matthew 9

Afterwards Jesus got into a boat, and, crossing over, came to his own city. 2 And there some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man: “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven.” 3 Then some of the teachers of the law said to themselves: “This man is blaspheming!”

4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus exclaimed: “Why do you cherish such wicked thoughts? 5 Which, I ask, is the easier? To say: ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Or to say: ‘Get up, and walk about’? 6 But, that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man: “Get up, take up your bed, and return to your home.” 7 The man got up and went to his home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were awe–struck, and praised God for giving such power to people.

9 As Jesus went along, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting in the tax–office, and said to him: “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed him. 10 And, later on, when he was at table in the house, a number of tax–collectors and outcasts came in and took their places at a table with Jesus and his disciples.

11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples: “Why does your teacher eat in the company of tax–collectors and sinners?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said: “It is not those who are in health that need a physician, but those who are ill. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’; for I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast.”

14 Then John’s disciples came to Jesus, and asked: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast while your disciples do not?”15 Jesus answered: “Can the bridegroom’s friends mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be parted from them, and they will fast then. 16 No one ever puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for such a patch tears away from the garment, and a worse rent is made. 17 Nor do people put new wine in old wineskins; for, if they do, the skins burst, and the wine runs out, and the skins are lost; but they put new wine into fresh skins, and so both are preserved.”

18 While Jesus was saying this, a president of a synagogue came up and bowed to the ground before him. “My daughter,” he said, “Has just died; but come and place your hand on her, and she will be restored to life.”19 So Jesus rose and followed him, and his disciples went also. 20 But meanwhile a woman, who had been suffering from hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind and touched the tassel of his cloak.

Explore the Meaning of Jesus’s Prayer

To continue reading Chapter 9 of the Gospel of Matthew, please click on page 2 below.

Your Sins Are Forgiven

Gospel of Mark 2

Some days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was in a house there; 2 And so many people collected together, that after a while there was no room for them even round the door; and he began to tell them his message. 3 And some people came bringing to him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four bearers. 4 Being, however, unable to get him near to Jesus, owing to the crowd, they removed the roofing below which Jesus was; and, when they had made an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man: “Child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the teachers of the law who were sitting there were debating in their minds: 7 “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?”

8 Jesus, at once intuitively aware that they were debating with themselves in this way, said to them: “Why are you debating in your minds about this? 9 Which is easier? To say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven‘? or to say, ‘Get up, and take up your mat, and walk about’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins on earth.” He then said to the paralyzed man: “To you I say, get up, take up your mat, and return to your home.” 12 The man got up, and immediately took up his mat, and went out before them all; at which they were amazed, and, as they praised God, they said: “We have never seen anything like this!”

13 Jesus went out again to the sea; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. 14 As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: “Follow me.” Levi got up and followed him.

15 And later on he was in his house at table, and a number of tax-gatherers and outcasts took their places at table with Jesus and his disciples; for many of them were following him. 16 When the teachers of the law belonging to the party of the Pharisees saw that he was eating in the company of such people, they said to his disciples: “He is eating in the company of tax- gatherers and sinners!” 17 Hearing this, Jesus said: “It is not those who are in health that need a doctor, but those who are ill. I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast.”

What is the ‘Our Father’ Prayer?

To continue reading Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Mark, please click on page 2 below.