The First Disciples
(Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; John 1:35–42)
On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret 1with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God, Mrk 1:16-20Mat 4:18-22Mrk 3:9Mat 14:34Mrk 6:53Deu 3:17Jos 12:3Mat 11:12 He saw two boats at the edge of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Mrk 1:19Mat 4:21 Jesus got into the boat belonging to Simon and asked him to put out a little from shore. And sitting down, He taught the people from the boat. Mat 4:18Mat 13:1-2Jhn 1:41-42Mrk 4:1-2Jhn 8:2
When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Jhn 21:6Mat 17:27
“Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” Jhn 2:5Jhn 15:14Luk 6:46-482Ki 5:10-14Ezk 37:4-7Psa 127:1-2Jhn 21:3Ezk 37:11-12 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear. 1Co 15:58Jhn 21:6-112Ki 4:3-7Ecc 11:6Gal 6:9Act 2:41Act 4:4 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Gal 6:2Php 4:3Act 11:25Exo 23:5Rom 16:2-4Pro 18:24
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.” Isa 6:5Job 42:5-6Rev 1:17Jdg 13:22Job 40:4Exo 20:19Mat 2:11Mat 8:8 For he and his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, Luk 4:32Mrk 9:6Psa 8:8Psa 8:6Luk 4:36 and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Mat 13:47Mat 4:19Ezk 47:9-10Mrk 1:17Luk 5:72Co 8:23Act 2:4Luk 6:14
“Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.” And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him. Mat 4:20Luk 18:28-30Luk 5:28Mat 19:27Mrk 10:21Mrk 1:18-25Php 3:7-8Mat 10:37
The Leper’s Prayer
(Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–45)
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. 2 When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Psa 50:15Mat 8:2-4Luk 17:16Luk 17:12-13Mat 9:28Mrk 1:40-45Gen 18:14Heb 7:25
Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. Mat 9:29-30Jhn 4:50-532Ki 5:14Ezk 36:25-27Ezk 36:29Hos 14:42Ki 5:10Gen 1:9
“Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 3 Lev 14:2-32Lev 13:2Luk 17:14Mat 8:4Mrk 1:44Mat 12:16Mat 9:30Luk 9:5
But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Mat 15:30-31Luk 12:1Mat 4:23-25Mat 9:26Mrk 1:45Mrk 1:28Mrk 3:7Luk 14:25 Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray. Luk 6:12Mrk 1:35-36Mat 14:23Mrk 6:46Jhn 6:15
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
(Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12)
One day Jesus was teaching, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. People had come from Jerusalem and from every village of Galilee and Judea, and the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick. Luk 6:19Luk 8:46Act 19:11Mat 11:5Act 4:30Mat 15:1Mrk 5:30Mrk 7:1
Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus, Mat 9:2-8Mrk 2:3-12Act 9:33Jhn 5:5-6 but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Mrk 2:4Mat 10:272Sa 11:2Deu 22:8Mat 24:17Jer 19:13
When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Act 14:9Mat 9:2Col 3:13Jas 2:18Jhn 2:25Luk 7:48Mrk 2:52Co 2:10
But the scribes and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Isa 43:25Mrk 2:6-7Act 6:11-13Jhn 10:33Luk 7:49Dan 9:9Mat 26:65Psa 32:5
Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus replied, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Mat 9:4Act 5:3Luk 24:38Mat 12:25Mrk 8:17Isa 66:18Psa 139:2Rev 2:23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ Mat 9:5Mrk 2:9 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” Isa 53:11Act 14:10Act 9:40Rev 1:13Act 3:6-8Act 5:31Act 9:34Luk 8:54
And immediately the man stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. Jhn 9:24Psa 103:1-3Psa 107:20-22Luk 13:13Luk 17:15-18Luk 18:43Luk 5:13Psa 33:9 Everyone was taken with amazement and glorified God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Mat 9:8Act 4:21Jer 33:9Mat 12:23Mrk 2:12Act 5:11-13Hos 3:5Luk 7:16
Jesus Calls Levi
(Matthew 9:9–13; Mark 2:13–17)
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, Mrk 2:13-22Mat 9:9-17Mrk 3:18Jhn 1:43Mat 10:3Luk 18:22Mat 4:19-21Jhn 12:26 and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him. Luk 5:111Ki 19:19-21Mat 19:22-27Luk 9:59-62
Then Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors was there, along with others who were eating with them. Mrk 2:151Co 10:27Luk 15:1Mat 9:101Co 5:9-11Jhn 12:2 But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Act 23:9Luk 15:1-2Luk 19:7Luk 5:17Luk 5:21Luk 7:29-30Mat 21:28-32Mrk 7:3
Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Mrk 2:17Mat 9:12-13Jer 8:22 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Luk 19:10Luk 15:101Ti 1:15-16Luk 15:7Act 3:19Luk 24:47Act 17:30Isa 55:6-7
Questions about Fasting
(Matthew 9:14–15; Mark 2:18–20)
Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking.” Mat 9:14-17Mrk 2:18-22Jhn 3:25Luk 18:12Luk 20:47Rom 10:2-3Act 9:11Isa 1:15
Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? Jhn 3:29Mat 25:1-10Rev 19:7-92Co 11:2Eph 5:25-27Isa 54:5Isa 62:5Psa 45:10-16 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.” Act 14:23Act 3:21Jhn 16:4-7Luk 17:221Co 7:52Co 11:27Act 1:9Act 13:2-3
The Patches and the Wineskins
(Matthew 9:16–17; Mark 2:21–22)
He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will tear the new garment as well, and the patch from the new will not match the old. Mat 9:16-17Mrk 2:21-222Co 6:16Deu 22:11Lev 19:19
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Psa 119:83Jos 9:13Jos 9:4 Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins. Heb 8:8-132Co 5:17Ezk 36:26Gal 4:9-11Gal 5:1-6Rev 21:51Ti 4:8Heb 13:9-10 And no one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’” Heb 11:39Jer 6:16Mrk 7:7-13Rom 4:11-12Heb 11:1-2