Christ heals a Paralytic. 53 was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And, behold, men came unto him, bringing a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed, which was borne of four. And they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, nor find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes and Pharisees sitting there began to reason within themselves, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? And immediately when Je perceived in his spirit that they so reas within themselves, knowing their tho 54 Matthew is called. he said unto them, Why reason ye these things? Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose up before them, took up his bed, and went forth before them all, and departed to his own house, glorifying God, insomuch that when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and were all amazed, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day; we never saw it on this fashion'. Matthew is called. AND after these things he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed forth from thence, he saw a publican, named Matthew, or Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom : and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him 2. 1 Matt. ix. 2-8. Mark ii. 1-12. Luke v. 17-26. 2 Matt. ix. 9. Mark ii. 13, 14. Luke v. 27, 28. The Healing of the Cripple at the Pool of Bethesda. AFTER this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not 56 The Power of the Son of God. lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterwards Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day 3. The Power of the Son of God. BUT Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also The Power of the Son of God. 57 doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine |