Matthew 8:23-34
Jesus Calms the Storm
Jesus got into a boat. His disciples followed him. Suddenly a terrible storm came up on the lake. The waves crashed over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up. They said, “Lord! Save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “Your faith is so small! Why are you so afraid?” Then Jesus got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop. It became completely calm.
The disciples were amazed. They asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Jesus Heals Two Men Controlled by Demons
Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the area of the Gadarenes. Two men controlled by demons met him. They came from the tombs. The men were so wild that no one could pass that way. “Son of God, what do you want with us?” they shouted. “Have you come here to punish us before the time for us to be judged?”
Not very far away, a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
Jesus said to them, “Go!” So the demons came out of the men and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned in the water. Those who were tending the pigs ran off. They went into the town and reported all this. They told the people what had happened to the men who had been controlled by demons. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their area.
Matthew 9:1-13
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk
Jesus stepped into a boat. He went over to the other side of the lake and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a man who could not walk. He was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that they had faith. So he said to the man, “Don’t lose hope, son. Your sins are forgiven.”
Then some teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is saying a very evil thing!”
Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said, “Why do you have evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he spoke to the man who could not walk. “Get up,” he said. “Take your mat and go home.” The man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with wonder. They praised God for giving that kind of authority to a human being.
Jesus Chooses Matthew and Eats With Sinners
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.
Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came. They ate with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this. So they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this. So he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. Go and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ (Hosea 6:6) I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”
