And he arose, and straightway took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and were filled with fear, and glorified God, saying, “We never saw it on this fashion:  we have seen strange things to-day.”

THE PUBLICAN DISCIPLE.

And Jesus 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 man, called Levi Matthew, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, “Follow me.”

And he forsook all, and arose and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house.  And there was a great multitude of publicans and sinners that were sitting at meat with Jesus and his disciples.

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

But when he heard it, he said, “They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what this meaneth, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’:  for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

THE OLD AND THE NEW.

And John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they come and say unto him, “The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.”

And Jesus said unto them, “Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days.”

And he spake also a parable unto them:  “No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.  And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish.  But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins.  And no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good.”

A SABBATH HEALING IN JERUSALEM.

After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches.  In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered.  And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity.  When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, “Wouldest thou be made whole?”

The sick 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.”