Matthew 9 And so, upon stepping into (or: boarding) a boat, He passed right across through (traversed, piercing through) the lake and came into His own city.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ And so, upon stepping into (or: boarding) a boat, He passed right across through (traversed, piercing through) [the lake] and came into His own city. ² Again look and consider! – People began bearing to Him upon a bed (or: pallet; couch) a paralytic, a man having been struck down [with paralysis] so as to be bedridden. And upon seeing their faith and trust, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Be increasingly receiving courage and confidence, O child (born one)! Your failures and mistakes (your times of missing the target; your errors and sins) are being caused to progressively flow away (or: are constantly being sent away and are habitually being forgiven)!" ³ Now see what happens! – Certain ones of the scribes (the scholars and theologians of the Law) said among themselves, "This fellow is now blaspheming (speaking impiously, villainously and inappropriately on matters of their religion)!" ⁴ And having seen and thus perceiving (knowing) their inner emotions (the rushing of thoughts and sentiments within them), Jesus said, "To what end or purpose? You men are constantly having inward rushings of bad thoughts and unprofitable sentiments within the midst of your hearts. ⁵ "For think about it, which is easier: to say, 'Your failures and mistakes are constantly being sent away and your sins are habitually forgiven,' or, to say, 'Proceed to rouse yourself and get up, and then continue walking around?' ⁶ "Yet now, so that you folks can see and know that the Son of the man (the son of humanity; mankind's Son; = Adam's son; or: = the Messiah) constantly has and holds authority and right upon the earth (or: land) to habitually send away (make to flow off; forgive) sins and failures (mistakes and errors)" – He then continues saying to the paralytic, "Proceed to rouse yourself and get up. At once pick up your bed (or: pallet) and then, bringing yourself under control, be going into your home (or: house)!" ⁷ So upon being raised up, he went off into his home (house). ⁸ Yet the crowds, seeing [what just happened], were struck with fear (or: became awestruck) and gave the glory to God (enhanced the reputation pertaining to God) – the One giving such authority to humans (or: mankind). ⁹ Then Jesus, continuing in leading [the group] along from there, saw a man called Matthew, who was presently sitting upon [the revenue receipts station at] the tax (customs; collections; tribute) office (or: at the toll booth), and He then says to him, "Be continuously following Me." And so, standing up, he at once followed Him. ¹⁰ Later, during His reclining [at a meal] within the house – now look and think about this! – it occurred [that] many tax collectors (customs and tribute agents; tax-farmers) and "sinners" (folks that the religious people considered "worldly" and by way of life ceremonially unclean and thus separated from the eligious community: outcasts of society who failed to measure up to religious and cultural standards; irreligious folks) were coming and began reclining back together with Jesus and His disciples [participating in their meal]. ¹¹ Well, upon seeing [this], the Pharisees began saying to His disciples, "Why or through what situation or arrangement does your teacher continue eating with the tax collectors and outcasts ('sinners')?" ¹² Now He, upon hearing [this], said, "The strong and healthy folks are not normally having a need of a healer (a physician), but to the contrary those having it badly (= the sick; the ill) constantly do. ¹³ "Now, upon going your way, learn and become a disciple of what [this] is and means, 'I am presently desiring, habitually intending and progressively purposing mercy, and not a sacrifice!' [Hos. 6:6] You see, I am not (or: did not) come to call 'righteous folks' (people who were supposedly in right relationship with God and community and who were convinced that they walked in accord with the path pointed out), but on the contrary, outcasts ('sinners' who knew that they were neither connected nor in right relationship, nor approved in their way of life: failures)." ¹⁴ Then at one point the disciples of John proceeded in coming to Him, and proceeded in saying, "Why and through what situation or arrangement are we and the Pharisees constantly fasting, and yet Your disciples are not in the habit of fasting?" ¹⁵ So Jesus said to them, "The sons of the bridal chamber (or: attendants at a wedding hall; = the wedding guests and friends of the bridegroom; = those either at a wedding celebration or exemplifying that atmosphere) continue unable to mourn or be sad and lamenting upon the situation of however long the bridegroom is with them. And yet days will continue coming when the bridegroom should be lifted up and withdrawn away from them, and at that time they will proceed to be fasting. ¹⁶ "Now nobody normally puts a patch of unshrunk cloth upon an old outer garment. You see, its filling-effect (i.e., the pre-shrunken patch which fills in the hole) is progressively pulling up away from the outer garment, and the split-effect (tear; rip; rent) progressively becomes worse. ¹⁷ "Neither are people normally draining fresh, recently made, new wine into old skin-bags (bottles), otherwise the skin-bags are constantly bursting (being torn open), and then the wine is constantly being spilled out and the skin-bags continue being destroyed (ruined). To the contrary, people normally drain fresh, just-made, new wine into skin-bags having a new character and quality – and both continue being preserved. ¹⁸ During His speaking these things to them – look and consider! – one (= a certain) ruler was approaching [and] began bowing down in obeisance and worship to Him, proceeding in saying, "My daughter just now came to her end and died. But still, upon coming, at once put (or: place) Your hand upon her, and she will commence to be living!" ¹⁹ And so, being roused and getting up, Jesus and His disciples began following him. ²⁰ Now look and consider this! – A woman [who was] constantly hemorrhaging (bleeding) for twelve years [thus, being ceremonially unclean, and so, required to keep away from others so as not to contaminate them], suddenly approaching, crept up from behind [and] touched the fringe (or: tassels) on the border of His cloak (outer garment), ²¹ you see, she had been saying within herself, "If only I can touch His cloak (or: outer garment), I will be healed and made whole!" ²² Now Jesus, being turned and seeing her, said, "Be increasingly receiving courage and confidence, daughter. Your faith, confidence and trust have healed you and you are now made whole!" And the woman was restored to health (rescued; saved; delivered) from that hour. ²³ And so Jesus, coming into the ruler's house and seeing the flute players and the crowd continuing in being disturbed and thus making a commotion, ²⁴ He began saying, "Withdraw and make room again! You see, the maiden (little girl) did not die, but rather she continues fast asleep." And so they began laughing at and ridiculing Him. ²⁵ Now when the crowd had been thrown out, He, upon entering, took a firm hold of her hand – and the maiden (little girl) was roused and raised up (or: she got up)! ²⁶ Of course, the story of this – like the fame of the utterance of an oracle – spread out into [the] whole of that land. ²⁷ Now later, as Jesus continues leading [the crowd] in passing along from that place, two blind men followed Him [who] kept on crying out, repeatedly saying, "Mercy us (Give mercy to us), O Son of David (this phrase may = "O descendant of David who also displays David's qualities and reminds us of the king of Israel;" or, it may be a phrase = "Messiah")!" ²⁸ So upon His coming into the house (may = went indoors; or = arrived home), the blind men came forward to (or: approached) Him, and Jesus then says to them, "Do you men continue having faith and are you believing that I am able and continue having power to do this?" They are [both] then saying, "Yes, O Lord (or: Yes, Master; or: Yes, sir)." ²⁹ At that moment He touched their eyes, while saying, "Corresponding to your faith, confidence and trust, let it at once be birthed in you men (or: let it come to be for, and happen to you)." ³⁰ And their eyes were instantly opened up! Jesus further, being deeply moved to the point of snorting with emotion for them, is then saying, "You are now continuing to see! Not even one person is to come to know [about this]." ³¹ Yet they, upon going out, thoroughly spread the news about Him within that whole land. ³² So in the midst of their going out (leaving) – look and consider this! – people brought to Him a person affected by a demon (= spiritual influence) with the result that he was unable to speak. ³³ And then, upon the demon (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influence) being thrown out, the "mute man" spoke! And the crowds were amazed and filled with wonder, one after another saying, "Never was it thus seen (or: was it shown in light to be made visible in this way) within Israel!" ³⁴ Yet the Pharisees began saying, "Within the [authority] of and in union with the ruler (or: chief) of the demons is he now expelling the demons." [comment: the Pharisees here give validity to the Hellenistic concept of demons, and to the pagan dualism which supposed that demons were beings which had a ruler. In the LXX, Isa. 65:3 spoke of Israel, saying "They repeatedly sacrifice in the gardens, and burn incense on the tiles, to the demons – which things do not exist!"] ³⁵ And then Jesus began leading the way around all the cities and villages, habitually teaching within their synagogues and, as a herald, repeatedly making public proclamations of the good news (the message of goodness, ease and wellness) which pertains to and has its source in the "reign" (which exemplifies and comprises the kingdom) – as well as continuing in curing (or: giving attentive care or prescribing therapy or ongoing treatment for) every disease and all incapacities (weaknesses; infirmities; sicknesses). ³⁶ Now upon seeing the crowds, He felt deep feelings, tender affection and compassion about them (was affected in the inward parts of His body, encircling them with His emotions), because they were (they continued being) folks having been skinned (or: flayed and lacerated; and so: harried and troubled) and hurled down or tossed out – as if [being] sheep not having a shepherd. ³⁷ At that point He then says to His disciples, "The harvest (matured crop) [is] indeed vast (much; huge), and yet the workers (= the harvesters) [are] few. ³⁸ "Therefore, urgently ask – even beg – the Owner (or: Master; Lord) of the harvest so that He would thrust out workers into His harvest."