They said therefore unto him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, "Thy son liveth": and himself believed, and his whole house.

This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judaea into Galilee.

THE RECALL OF THE FISHERMEN.

And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up."

Now it came to pa.s.s, while the mult.i.tude pressed upon him and heard the word of G.o.d, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the mult.i.tudes out of the boat.

And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

And Simon answered and said, "Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets."

And when they had done this, they inclosed a great mult.i.tude of fishes; and their nets were breaking; and they beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken; and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men."

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.

A DAY OF GOOD DEEDS IN CAPERNAUM.

And straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching: for his word was with authority.

And in the synagogue there was a man, that had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ah! what have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of G.o.d!"

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold thy peace, and come out of him."

And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, tearing him and crying out with a loud voice, he came out of him, having done him no hurt.

And amazement came upon all, and they spake together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out."

And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the region of Galilee round about.

And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon. And Simon's wife's mother was holden with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them.

And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he cast out many demons with a word, and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. And he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed all that were sick of divers diseases; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases."

THE FIRST LEPER HEALED.

And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and say unto him, "All are seeking thee."

And he saith unto them, "Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth."

And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

And it came to pa.s.s, while he was in one of the cities, there cometh to him a man full of leprosy, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."

And being moved with compa.s.sion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, "I will; be thou made clean." And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out, and saith unto him, "See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but withdrew himself to desert places and prayed: and they came to him from every quarter to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

BEGINNINGS OF CONTROVERSY

THE HEALING OF A PARALYTIC.

And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was in the house. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door; and he spake the word unto them.

And they come, bringing unto him a man sick of the palsy, borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the crowd, they went up to the housetop, and uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay.

And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins are forgiven."

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, "Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even G.o.d?"

And straightway Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, saith unto them, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Thy sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?'

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy), 'I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house.'"

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 G.o.d, 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 mult.i.tude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he pa.s.sed 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 mult.i.tude 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."