bed a man which was taken with a palsy; and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before Jesus. And when they could not 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 him, Man, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. And certain of the scribes and the Pharisees sitting there, began to reason within themselves, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived in his spirit their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye, and wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, 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 upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And when the multitude saw it they were all amazed, and they glorified God, who had given such power unto men, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

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XXXIX.

The call of Levi.

ND he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw a publican, named Levi, surnamed Matthew, the son of Alphæus, sitting at the receipt of custom; and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up,

and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his own house; and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for they were many, and they followed him. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast. Then came to Jesus the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, and make prayers, but thy disciples fast not? And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they

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cannot fast.

But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of new cloth into an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new for he saith, The old is better.

XL.

But new wine

The raising of Fairus's daughter, and the cure of a woman having an issue of blood.

HILE he spake these things unto them, behold,

WHILE

there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue; and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him greatly that he would come into his house; saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death; I pray thee come and lay thy hands on her that she may be healed, and she shall live for he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. And Jesus arose

and followed him, and so did his disciples. But as he went much people followed him and thronged him.

And a certain woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, neither could be healed of any, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched the hem of his garment; for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, thou seest the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me; for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing; and when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of

good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go And the woman was made whole from

in peace.

that hour.

While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not; believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And all wept, and bewailed her; but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And when he saw the minstrels and the people making a noise he put them all out, and taketh the father and mother of the damsel and them that were with him, and entering in where the damsel was lying, he took her by the hand, and called, saying, Talitha-cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years; and he commanded to give her meat.

And her parents were astonished with a great astonishment; but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.