Y aconteció que mientras la multitud se agolpaba sobre Él para oír la palabra de Dios, estando Jesús^1a junto al lago de Genesaret^b, 2 vio dos barcas que estaban a la orilla del lago, pero los pescadores habían bajado de ellas y lavaban las redes. 3 Subiendo a una de las barcas, que era de Simón, pidió que se separara de tierra un poco; y sentándose, enseñaba a las multitudes desde la barca^a. 4 Cuando terminó de hablar, dijo a Simón: Sal a la parte más profunda¹ y echad vuestras redes para pescar^2a. 5 Respondiendo Simón, dijo: Maestro^a, hemos estado trabajando toda la noche y no hemos pescado¹ nada^b, pero porque tú lo pides², echaré las redes. 6 Y cuando lo hicieron, encerraron una gran cantidad de peces^a, de modo que sus redes se rompían; 7 entonces hicieron señas a sus compañeros que estaban en la otra barca para que vinieran a ayudarlos. Y vinieron y llenaron ambas barcas, de tal manera que se hundían. 8 Al ver esto, Simón Pedro cayó a los pies¹ de Jesús, diciendo: ¡Apártate de mí, Señor, pues soy hombre pecador! 9 Porque el asombro se había apoderado de él y de todos sus compañeros, por la redada de peces que habían hecho; 10 y lo mismo les sucedió también a Jacobo¹ y a Juan, hijos de Zebedeo, que eran socios de Simón. Y Jesús dijo a Simón: No temas^a; desde ahora serás pescador de hombres^b. 11 Y después de traer las barcas a tierra, dejándolo todo, le siguieron^a.

12 ^aY aconteció que estando Jesús¹ en una de las ciudades, he aquí, había allí un hombre lleno de lepra; y cuando vio a Jesús, cayó sobre su rostro y le rogó, diciendo: Señor, si quieres, puedes limpiarme. 13 Extendiendo Jesús la mano, lo tocó, diciendo: Quiero; sé limpio. Y al instante la lepra lo dejó. 14 Y Él le mandó que no se lo dijera a nadie. Pero anda—le dijo—, muéstrate al sacerdote^a y da una ofrenda¹ por tu purificación según lo ordenó Moisés, para que les sirva de testimonio. 15 Y su fama¹ se difundía cada vez más^a, y grandes multitudes se congregaban para oírle y ser sanadas de sus enfermedades. 16 Pero con frecuencia Él se retiraba a¹ lugares solitarios y oraba^a.

17 Y¹ un día² que Él estaba enseñando, había allí sentados algunos fariseos^a y maestros de la ley^b que habían venido de todas las aldeas de Galilea y Judea, y de Jerusalén^c; y el poder del Señor^d estaba con Él para sanar. 18 ^aY he aquí, unos hombres trajeron en una camilla a un hombre que estaba paralítico; y trataban de meterlo y ponerlo delante de Jesús¹. 19 Y no hallando cómo introducirlo debido a la multitud, subieron a la azotea^a y lo bajaron con la camilla a través del techo^1b, poniéndolo en medio, delante de Jesús. 20 Viendo Jesús la fe de ellos, dijo: Hombre, tus pecados te son perdonados^a. 21 Entonces los escribas y fariseos comenzaron a discurrir^a, diciendo: ¿Quién eseste que habla blasfemias? ¿Quién puede perdonar pecados, sinosolo Dios^b? 22 Conociendo Jesús sus pensamientos, respondió y les dijo: ¿Por qué discurrís en vuestros corazones? 23 ¿Qué es más fácil, decir: «Tus pecados te son perdonados», o decir: «Levántate y anda»? 24 Pues para que sepáis que el Hijo del Hombre tiene autoridad en la tierra para perdonar pecados (dijo al paralítico^a): A ti te digo: Levántate, toma tu camilla y vete a tu casa. 25 Y al instante se levantó delante de ellos, tomó la camilla en que había estado acostado, y se fue a su casa glorificando a Dios^a. 26 Y el asombro se apoderó de todos y glorificaban a Dios^a; y se llenaron de temor^b, diciendo: Hoy hemos visto cosas extraordinarias.

27 ^aDespués de esto, Jesús salió y se fijó en un recaudador de impuestos¹ llamado Leví^b, sentado en la oficina de los tributos, y le dijo: Sígueme. 28 Y él, dejándolo todo, se levantó y le seguía^a.

29 Y Leví^a le ofreció un gran banquete en su casa; y había un grupo grande de recaudadores de impuestos^b y de otros que estaban sentados¹ a la mesa con ellos. 30 Y los fariseos y sus escribas^a se quejaban a los discípulos de Jesús¹, diciendo: ¿Por qué coméis y bebéis con los recaudadores de impuestos y con los pecadores? 31 Respondiendo Jesús, les dijo: Los sanos no tienen necesidad de médico, sino los que están enfermos^a. 32 No he venido a llamar a justos, sino a pecadores al arrepentimiento.

33 Y ellos le dijeron: Los discípulos de Juan ayunan con frecuencia y hacen oraciones; los de los fariseos también hacen lo mismo, pero los tuyos comen y beben^a. 34 Entonces Jesús les dijo: ¿Acaso podéis hacer que los acompañantes del novio¹ ayunen mientras el novio está con ellos? 35 Pero vendrán días cuando¹ el novio les será quitado, entonces ayunarán en aquellos días^a. 36 También les dijo una parábola: Nadie corta un pedazo de un vestido nuevo y lo pone en un vestido viejo; porque entonces¹ romperá el nuevo, y el pedazo del nuevo no armonizará con el viejo. 37 Y nadie echa vino nuevo en odres¹ viejos, porque entonces² el vino nuevo romperá los odres y se derramará, y los odres se perderán, 38 sino que el vino nuevo debe echarse en odres nuevos¹. 39 Y nadie, después de beber vino añejo, desea vino nuevo, porque dice: «El añejo es mejor¹».

^aNow it happened that while Jesus was standing by ^bthe Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) , with the people crowding all around Him and listening to the word of God; 2 that He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He ^agot into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little distance from the shore. And He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon Peter, “Put out into the deep water and ^alower your nets for a catch of fish.” 5 Simon replied, “^aMaster, ^bwe worked hard all night to the point of exhaustion and caught nothing in our nets, but at Your word I will do as you say and lower the nets again.” 6 When they had done this, ^athey caught a great number of fish, and their nets were at the point of breaking; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats with fish, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all his companions were completely astounded at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon Peter. Jesus said to Simon, “^aHave no fear; from now on you will be ^bcatching men!” 11 After they had brought their boats to land, ^athey left everything and ¹followed Him becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example.

12 ^aWhile Jesus was in one of the cities, there came a man covered with an advanced case of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean and well.” Matt 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-44 13 And Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Jesus ordered him to tell no one that he might happen to meet, “But go and ^ashow yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your purification, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony (witness) to them that this is a work of Messiah.” Lev 13:49; 14:2-32 15 But ^athe news about Him was spreading farther, and large crowds kept gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their illnesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and ^apray in seclusion.

17 One day as He was teaching, ^athere were Pharisees and ^bteachers of the Law sitting there who had ^ccome from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And ^dthe power of the Lord was present with Him to heal. 18 ^aSome men came carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed, and they tried to bring him in and lay him down in front of Jesus. Matt 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12 19 But finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on ^athe ¹roof and removed some tiles to make an opening and lowered him ^bthrough the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their active faith springing from confidence in Him, He said, “Man, ^ayour sins are forgiven.” 21 The scribes and the Pharisees ^abegan to consider and question the implications of what He had said, saying, “^bWho is this man who speaks blasphemies by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God? ^cWho can forgive sins that is, remove guilt, nullify sin’s penalty, and assign righteousness except God alone?” 22 But Jesus, knowing their hostile thoughts, answered them, “Why are you questioning these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But, in order that you may know that the Son of Man (the Messiah) has authority and power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the ^aparalyzed man, “I say to you, get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25 He immediately stood up before them, picked up his stretcher, and went home ^aglorifying and praising God. 26 They were all astonished, and they began ^aglorifying God; and they were filled ^bwith reverential fear and kept saying, “We have seen wonderful and incredible things today!”

27 ^aAfter this Jesus went out and noticed a tax collector named ^bLevi (Matthew) sitting at the tax booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk.” Matt 9:9-17; Mark 2:14-22 28 And he ^aleft everything behind and got up and began to follow Jesus as His disciple.

29 ^aLevi (Matthew) gave a great banquet for Him at his house; and there was a large crowd of ^btax collectors and others who were reclining at the table with them. 30 ^aThe Pharisees and their scribes seeing those with whom He was associating began murmuring in discontent to His disciples, asking, “Why are you eating and drinking with the tax collectors and sinners including non-observant Jews?” 31 And Jesus replied to them, “^aIt is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but only those who are sick. 32 I did not come to call the self-proclaimed righteous who see no need to repent, but sinners to repentance to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness.”

33 Then they said to Him, “^aThe disciples of John the Baptist often practice fasting and offer prayers of special petition, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees; but Yours eat and drink.” 34 Jesus said to them, “Can you make the wedding guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 ^aBut days for mourning will come when the bridegroom is forcefully taken away from them. They will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old one; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old ¹wineskins; otherwise the new fermenting wine will expand and burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one, after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’”

^aNow it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by ^bthe lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And ^aHe got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the ¹people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and ^alet down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “^aMaster, ^bwe worked hard all night and caught nothing, but ¹I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, ^athey enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ ¹feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were ¹James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “^aDo not fear, from now on you will be ^bcatching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, ^athey left everything and followed Him.

12 ^aWhile He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man ¹covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and ^ashow yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But ^athe news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away ¹to the ²wilderness and ^apray.

17 ¹One day He was teaching; and ^athere were some Pharisees and ^bteachers of the law sitting there, who had ^ccome from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and ^dthe power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. 18 ^aAnd some men were carrying on a ¹bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. 19 But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on ^athe roof and let him down ^bthrough the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, He said, “¹Friend, ^ayour sins are forgiven you.” 21 The scribes and the Pharisees ^abegan to reason, saying, “^bWho is this man who speaks blasphemies? ^cWho can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22 But Jesus, ¹aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the ^aparalytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home ^aglorifying God. 26 ¹They were all struck with astonishment and began ^aglorifying God; and they were filled ^bwith fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

27 ^aAfter that He went out and noticed a tax collector named ^1bLevi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 And he ^aleft everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.

29 And ^aLevi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of ^btax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 ^aThe Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and ¹sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “^aIt is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

33 And they said to Him, “^aThe disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do ¹the same, but Yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the ¹attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 ^aBut the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” 36 And He was also telling them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’”