Matthew 9

He entered into a boat and crossed over, and came into his own city.

Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”

Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.”

He arose and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.

As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”

Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.

Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples.

Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;

for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”

But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder,

he said to them, “Make room, because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” They were ridiculing him.

But when the crowd was sent out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

The report of this went out into all that land.

As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!”

When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.”

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

Then their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.”

But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.

When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”

Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter presents a series of miracles and confrontations that reveal Jesus’ authority over sickness, sin, and social boundaries, while deepening the opposition from religious leaders. Centered on acts of healing and calls to discipleship, the chapter emphasizes the compassionate reach of the Kingdom and the newness of Christ’s ministry, which cannot be confined to old religious forms.

Flow.

Jesus forgives and heals a paralytic, demonstrating divine authority that draws accusations of blasphemy.
He calls Matthew, fellowships with outcasts, and declares His mission to bring sinners to repentance, affirming mercy over ritual.
Jesus explains that His presence inaugurates a new reality, illustrated through metaphors of fasting, unshrunk cloth, and new wine.
A string of miracles—raising a girl, healing a woman with bleeding, restoring two blind men, and freeing a mute demoniac—demonstrates His power, prompting both worship and increasing opposition.

Connections.
Following chapter 8, where Jesus’ authority is displayed in nature, disease, and demons, chapter 9 intensifies the theme by placing that authority in direct engagement with religious assumptions about sin, purity, and fellowship. The growing conflict anticipates the deepening division in chapter 10, where Jesus empowers the disciples to extend His healing and proclaiming work, even as opposition prepares the way for rejection.

What it teaches.
Jesus possesses divine authority to forgive sins (WCF 8.5), a prerogative that the scribes recognize as belonging to God alone. His power to heal confirms this authority, fulfilling the prophetic identity of the Son of Man (; WCF 7.3). Fellowship with sinners reflects God’s merciful purpose (; HC LD 32), consistent with the call to repentance, not the justification of sin. The new covenant ministry cannot be contained by old forms (LC 99), as Christ brings a fuller revelation. Compassion for the spiritually destitute moves Jesus to call laborers for the harvest (WCF 18.1; HC LD 12), underscoring the urgency of gospel mission.

Apply.
Christ’s authority welcomes the outcast, heals the broken, and renews both life and relationship with God.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.