Great draught of fishes -- Calling of Peter, James, John, and Levi -- Christ healeth the palsy -- Parable of new wine, and old bottles.

¹⁾And it came to pass, 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 on the lake; but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were wetting 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 done speaking, he said to Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your net 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 done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net brake.

⁷⁾And they beckoned unto their partners, who 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 the multitude of fishes, 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 who were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.

¹⁰⁾And so were also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not from henceforth, for 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 said unto him, Go and show thyself to the priests, 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, who were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

¹⁸⁾And behold, men brought in a bed, a man who was taken with a palsy; and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before Jesus.

¹⁹⁾And when they found that they could not bring him in for the multitude, they went upon the house-top, and let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst, before Jesus.

²⁰⁾Now he saw their faith, and said unto the man, Thy sins are forgiven thee.

²¹⁾And the scribes and Pharisees begin to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?

²²⁾But Jesus perceived their thoughts, and he said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

²³⁾Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk?

²⁴⁾But, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, I said it. And he said unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy 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 place where they received 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 the scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

³¹⁾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 bride- chamber 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, saying, No man putteth a piece of new cloth upon an old garment; if so, then the new maketh a rent, and 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 drank old wine, desireth new; for he saith, The old is better.