Matthew 9 continues the miracle cycle with the healing of a paralytic (whose sins Jesus forgives first, provoking the scribes), the calling of Matthew the tax collector, debates with the Pharisees over eating with sinners, a question about fasting, the healing of a woman with a hemorrhage, the raising of a ruler's daughter, the healing of two blind men and a mute demoniac, and Jesus's compassion for the crowds described as sheep without a shepherd. The chapter culminates in Jesus's call for laborers for the harvest.
The paralytic narrative (vv. 1-8) is the first direct confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities in Matthew. Jesus's claim to forgive sins provokes the charge of blasphemy — only God can forgive sins. Rather than retreating, Jesus escalates by using the visible miracle to validate the invisible one. The calling of Matthew (v. 9) is notable as the author's own call narrative. The 'new wine in old wineskins' saying (v. 17) signals that Jesus's ministry cannot be contained within existing religious structures.
The ruler (archōn) in verse 18 is not named in Matthew, though Mark 5:22 identifies him as Jairus. We render Matthew's text without importing details from Mark. The interweaving of the hemorrhaging woman's healing within the Jairus narrative is a Markan sandwich that Matthew compresses significantly. The phrase 'Son of David' in verse 27 is a messianic title that the blind men use publicly.
The forgiveness of sins connects to the name 'Jesus' ('the LORD saves... from their sins,' 1:21). The call of Matthew connects to the theme of unexpected people entering the kingdom (8:11). The new wine/wineskins saying anticipates the new covenant theology. The harvest metaphor (vv. 37-38) sets up the mission discourse of chapter 10. The 'sheep without a shepherd' image echoes Numbers 27:17 and Ezekiel 34. **Tradition comparisons:** The JST modifies this chapter (Matthew 9:18): Ruler's description of his daughter's condition revised: 'even now' or 'at the point of death' clarified See the [JST notes](/jst/matthew).
Καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασεν καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν.
He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town.
KJV And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν τῷ παραλυτικῷ· Θάρσει, τέκνον· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι.
Some people brought to him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, child — your sins are forgiven."
KJV And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· Οὗτος βλασφημεῖ.
At this, some of the scribes said among themselves, "This man is blaspheming."
KJV And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
καὶ εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν· Ἱνατί ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν;
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
KJV And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· Ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· Ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;
For which is easier — to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?
KJV For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας — τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ· Ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — then he said to the paralytic — "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
KJV But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
Here the word denotes not mere power (dynamis) but authorized right — the Son of Man has the legitimate right to do what only God does.
καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.
He got up and went home.
KJV And he arose, and departed to his house.
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐφοβήθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.
KJV But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀκολούθει μοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ.
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.
KJV And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένου ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐλθόντες συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ.
While Jesus was reclining at table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were eating with him and his disciples.
KJV And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· Διὰ τί μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑμῶν;
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
KJV And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ' οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
When he heard this, he said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
KJV But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν· Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς.
Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
KJV But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
The Septuagint's standard translation of the Hebrew chesed. In this Hosea quotation, it carries the full weight of covenantal faithfulness — God values relational loyalty over ritual performance.
Τότε προσέρχονται αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου λέγοντες· Διὰ τί ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύομεν [πολλά], οἱ δὲ μαθηταί σου οὐ νηστεύουσιν;
Then the disciples of John came to him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?"
KJV Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Μὴ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος πενθεῖν ἐφ' ὅσον μετ' αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁ νυμφίος; ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι ὅταν ἀπαρθῇ ἀπ' αὐτῶν ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ τότε νηστεύσουσιν.
Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
KJV And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber 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.
οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐπιβάλλει ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπὶ ἱματίῳ παλαιῷ· αἴρει γὰρ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται.
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear becomes worse.
KJV No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
οὐδὲ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιούς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, ῥήγνυνται οἱ ἀσκοί, καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἐκχεῖται καὶ οἱ ἀσκοὶ ἀπόλλυνται· ἀλλὰ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινούς, καὶ ἀμφότεροι συντηροῦνται.
Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."
KJV Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος αὐτοῖς ἰδοὺ ἄρχων εἷς ἐλθὼν προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων ὅτι Ἡ θυγάτηρ μου ἄρτι ἐτελεύτησεν· ἀλλὰ ἐλθὼν ἐπίθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπ' αὐτήν, καὶ ζήσεται.
While he was saying these things to them, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died. But come and place your hand on her, and she will live."
KJV While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)narrative
Ruler's description of his daughter's condition revised: 'even now' or 'at the point of death' clarified
The JST footnote adjusts the ruler Jairus's statement about his daughter, resolving a minor tension between Matthew's account (which says she is 'even now dead') and Mark/Luke (where she is dying but not yet dead when the messenger comes). The JST revision brings greater harmony to the Synoptic accounts.
καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
Jesus got up and followed him, and so did his disciples.
KJV And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ αἱμορροοῦσα δώδεκα ἔτη προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ·
Just then a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak.
KJV And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
ἔλεγεν γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῇ· Ἐὰν μόνον ἅψωμαι τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ σωθήσομαι.
For she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
KJV For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς στραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν εἶπεν· Θάρσει, θύγατερ· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε. καὶ ἐσώθη ἡ γυνὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης.
Jesus turned and saw her. He said, "Take heart, daughter. Your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed from that moment.
KJV But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that very hour.
Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἄρχοντος καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς αὐλητὰς καὶ τὸν ὄχλον θορυβούμενον
When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,
KJV And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
ἔλεγεν· Ἀναχωρεῖτε, οὐ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν τὸ κοράσιον ἀλλὰ καθεύδει. καὶ κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ.
He stated to them, Give location — for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. Then they laughed him to scorn.
KJV He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
ὅτε δὲ ἐξεβλήθη ὁ ὄχλος, εἰσελθὼν ἐκράτησεν τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἠγέρθη τὸ κοράσιον.
After the crowd had been sent outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.
KJV But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἡ φήμη αὕτη εἰς ὅλην τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην.
And the report of this spread throughout that entire region.
KJV And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
Καὶ παράγοντι ἐκεῖθεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠκολούθησαν [αὐτῷ] δύο τυφλοὶ κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες· Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, υἱὸς Δαυίδ.
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
KJV And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
ἐλθόντι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ τυφλοί, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Πιστεύετε ὅτι δύναμαι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ναί, κύριε.
When he entered the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."
KJV And 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.
τότε ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν λέγων· Κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν γενηθήτω ὑμῖν.
Then he touched their eyes, saying, "Let it be done for you according to your faith."
KJV Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
καὶ ἠνεῴχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί. καὶ ἐνεβριμήθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων· Ὁρᾶτε μηδεὶς γινωσκέτω.
Their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one finds out about this."
KJV And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες διεφήμισαν αὐτὸν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ γῇ ἐκείνῃ.
But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that entire region.
KJV But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
Αὐτῶν δὲ ἐξερχομένων ἰδοὺ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπον κωφὸν δαιμονιζόμενον.
As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus.
KJV As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
καὶ ἐκβληθέντος τοῦ δαιμονίου ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ ὄχλοι λέγοντες· Οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ.
After the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"
KJV And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον· Ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια.
But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons."
KJV But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
Καὶ περιῆγεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς πόλεις πάσας καὶ τὰς κώμας, διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.
KJV And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἐσπλαγχνίσθη περὶ αὐτῶν ὅτι ἦσαν ἐσκυλμένοι καὶ ἐρριμμένοι ὡσεὶ πρόβατα μὴ ἔχοντα ποιμένα.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
KJV But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
τότε λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι·
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
KJV Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest."
KJV Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.