‏ Luke 5

1On one occasion when he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, the crowd pressed upon him to listen to the word of God. 2But he saw two fishing-boats on the shore of the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. 3He went on board one of the boats which belonged to Simon, and asked him to push out a little way from land. Then he sat down and continued to teach the crowd from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and let down your nets for a haul." 5"Master," answered Simon, "although we toiled all night, we took nothing; but at your bidding I will let down the nets." 6And when they had done this they enclosed a great multitude of fish; and their nets began to break. 7So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8When Simon Peter saw this he fell down at the knees of Jesus, exclaiming, "Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 9(For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the haul of fish which they had made; 10and so were Simon’s partners, Jamesand John, sons of Zebedee.) But Jesus answered Simon. "Fear not; from this time on, you will be catching men." 11So when they had brought their boats to land they left everything and followed him.

12Another time when he was in one of their cities, there was a man there full of leprosy. And he, upon seeing Jesus, fell on his face and implored him. "Lord," he said, "if only you choose you can make me clean." 13And he stretched out his hand and touching him, said. "I do choose; be made clean." 14And instantly the leprosy left him. Jesus ordered him to tell no one, "But be off," he said, "show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." 15But all the more the report about him continued to spread; and great crowds began to come together to hear him, and to be healed of their infirmities. 16But Jesus himself habitually withdrew into solitary places, and there used to pray.

17One day he was teaching, and near to him were seated Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18And behold there came men carrying a paralytic on a bed; and they tried to bring him and lay him before Jesus, but they could not because of the crowd. 19So they went up on the roof, and let him down through the tiling, with his bed, into the crowd, before Jesus. 20When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you!" 21And the Scribes and Pharisees began to cavil. "Who is this?" they asked, "speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 22Conscious of their cavilings, Jesus answered, saying. 23"What is this caviling in your hearts? Which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Rise and walk?" 24But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins (he said to the paralytic), "I bid you rise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 25And instantly he arose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went away to his house, glorifying God. 26Astonishment fell upon them all, and they began to glorify God, and they were filled with awe, and they said, "We have seen strange things today."

27After this he went forth and noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting at the tax-office, and said to him, "Follow me." 28He rose, left everything, and followed him. 29Levi also made him a great reception at his house. There was a large party of tax-gatherers and others who were dining with them. 30And the Pharisees and their scribes began complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax- gatherers and sinners?" 31Jesus answered them saying. "They who are well have no need of a physician, but they who are ill. 32I am not come to call the righteous but sinners, to repentance." 33Again they said unto him. "Why do the disciples of Johnfast frequently, and make supplications, as also do the disciples of the Pharisees, but your disciples are eating and drinking?" 34"Can you make the bridal party fast," he asked, while the bridegroom is still with them? 35"But there is coming a day when the Bridegroom will have been taken away from them; then at that time they will fast." 36He also told them a parable. "No one," he said, "tears a piece from a new garment, and patches it upon an old one; otherwise he will tear the new garment, and the patch from the new will not mend the old. 37"Nor does any one pour new wine into old wine-skins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and will itself be spilled, and the skins be destroyed 38"But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins 39"And no man after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, "The old is better.""