THE
*GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO
^ MATTHEW

Matthew 9

1Christ cureth a man; 9calleth Matthew; 10justifieth himself for eating with publicans and sinners, 14and his disciples for not fasting; 18is entreated by a ruler to go and heal his daughter; 20healeth by the way a woman with an issue of blood; 23raiseth to life the ruler's daughter; 27giveth sight to two blind men; 32healeth a dumb man possessed of a devil; 36hath compassion on the multitudes, and teacheth his disciples to pray that God would send forth labourers into his vineyard.


1AND he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into 1his own city.

1 Namely, Capernaum, where He had taken His habitation. See Mat. 4:13; Mark 2:1.

2And,a behold, they brought to him a man sick of the 2palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing 3their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, 4be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

a Mark 2:3; Luke 5:18; Acts 9:33.

2 Or, one who was lame, as Mat. 4:24.

3 Namely, of the paralytic, as well as of those who brought him.

4 Or, trust.

3And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, Thisbman 5blasphemeth.

b Psalm 32:5; Isa. 43:25.

5 Namely God, ascribing to Himself that which belongs to God alone. See Isa. 43:25 and 44:22. The Greek word properly signifies to wound, defame or hurt anyone’s good name.

4And Jesus 6knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

6 That is, discerning the reasoning of their minds.

5For whether is 7easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

7 For both of these are difficult alike, and the proper works of God.

6But that ye may know that the 8Son of man hath 9power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

8Christ calls Himself such, because He, being the Son of God, is also true Man, of man, and was promised under this title, Dan. 7:13, as also, because He was in a low estate amongst men, Ezek. 1:26; Philip. 2:7, 8.

9 Namely, because He is also true God, in one Person, Acts 20:28.

7And he arose, and 10departed to his house.

10 Namely, having taken up his bed, as is to be seen in Mark 2:12 and Luke 5:25.

8But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

9¶Andc as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named 11Matthew, sitting at 12the receipt of custom:d and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

c Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27.

11 And was also called Levi. See Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27, and is the same who wrote this Gospel.

12 Namely, to receive custom. For, he was a publican, Mat. 10:3.

d tribute, tax, toll*

10¶And it came to pass, as Jesus 13sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and 14sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

13 Of the manner of sitting down at the table, see John 13:23.

14 That is, companions of the publicans, who were accounted great sinners by the Jews, or who lived in an open course of sinning.

11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be 15whole need not a physician, but they that are 16sick.

15 Gr. strong, able.

16 Gr. they who are seasonally ill, or ill-disposed.

13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, Ie will have mercy, and 17not sacrifice: forf I am not come to call the 18righteous, but sinners to repentance.

e Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:8; Mat. 12:7.

17 That is, I will, that is, I take more pleasure in the works of mercy, amongst which also the endeavor to convert a man is principally contained, than in sacrifices.

f Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15.

18 Since there are none of those, the Pharisees, however, had a conceit that they were such, Luke 18:9.

14¶Theng came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

g Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33.

15And Jesus said unto them, Can the 19children of theh bridechamberi mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

19 Gr. the sons, that is, the children of the marriage chamber, whom we call companions. See Judges 14:11. These are also called the friends of the bridegroom, John 3:29.

h 2 Cor. 11:2.

i bridal room; – children of the bride chamber: wedding guests

16No man putteth 20a piece of 21new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is 22put in to fill it up 23taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

20 By these similitudes Christ would give us to understand that His disciples were yet too tender and weak.

21 Or, unprepared, unwrought, not worn; as Luke 5:36.

22 Or, set on.

23 Or, rends off somewhat, as Mark 2:21, namely, the new from the old; that is, rends off the patch that was set on.

17Neitherj do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles 24break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

j Mark 2:22.

24 Or, burst.

18¶While he spake these things unto them, behold,k there came a certain 25ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall 26live.

k Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41.

25 Namely, of the synagogue, called Jairus. See Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41.

26 That is, be alive again.

19And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20¶And,l behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came 27behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

l Lev. 15:25; Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43.

27 Because she did not dare to make known her disease.

21For she said within herself, If I may but touch 28his garment, I shall be 29whole.

28 She did not ascribe this virtue of healing to the garment, but to Jesus Christ Himself, Who was there present, as appears from the following verse, and from Mark 5:30 and Luke 8:46. See the like in Mat. 14:36.

29 Gr. delivered, or saved.

22But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, bem of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

m Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48.

23Andn when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the 30minstrels and the people making a noise,

n Mark 5:38; Luke 8:51.

30 Who, with mournful sounds of flutes, sought to stir up the people to weeping and lamenting for the dead; which custom the Jews had borrowed from the heathen.

24He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is 31not dead, but sleepeth.o And they laughed him to scorn.

31 Namely, to remain dead, seeing Christ purposed to raise her up. Otherwise, death is said to be no death but a sleep in respect of the general resurrection, John 11:11.

o John 11:11.

25But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid 32arose.

32 Gr. was raised up, namely, from death.

26And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

27¶And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou 33Son of David, have mercy on us.

33 The Messiah was acknowledged for a Son of David, because He would proceed from the lineage of David, according to the promise made to David. See Mat. 1:1.

28And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

30And their eyes were opened; andp Jesus 34straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

p Mat. 12:16; Luke 5:14.

34 Gr. threatened them with earnest moving on the mind.

31Butq they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

q Mark 7:36.

32¶Asr they went out, behold, they brought to him a 35dumb man possessed with a devil.

r Mat. 12:22; Luke 11:14.

35 Whom the devil, whereof he was possessed, had taken away the ability to speak.

33And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

34But the Pharisees said, Hes casteth out devils through the 36prince of the devils.

s Mat. 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15.

36 This prince is called in Mat. 10:25 and 12:27 Beelzebub. For, even amongst the unclean spirits, there is one that bears rule over others. See Mat. 25:41.

35Andt Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing 37every sickness and every disease among the people.

t Mark 6:6; Luke 13:22.

37 That is, all manner of sicknesses. See Mat. 4:23.

36¶Butu when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with 38compassion on them, because they 39fainted, and were scattered abroad, asv sheep having no shepherd.

u Mark 6:34.

38 Gr. was moved in His bowels.

39 Gr. loosened, and dissolved.

v Jer. 23:1; Ezek. 34:2.

37Then saith he unto his disciples, Thew harvest truly is 40plenteous, but the labourers are few;

w Luke 10:2; John 4:35.

40 Gr. much.

38Prayx ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will 41send forth labourers into his harvest.

x 2 Thes. 3:1.

41 Gr. cast out, that is, send forth, having made them willing and capable by the power of His Spirit.