1 AND it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, [ Another name for the sea of Galilee. ]

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. [ Suggesting that they were done for the day. ]

3 And he entered into one of the ships, [ Jesus just gets aboard one of the empty ships. ] which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. [ And then asked Simon to push him a little way from the shore. ] And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. [ It had gotten too crowded on the shore to teach as the people kept getting closer and closer and those in the back of the group where getting pushed away. ]

4  Now when he had left speaking, [ Jesus os done with his message for the day. ] he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said [ Simon just says plainly what is on his mond. ] unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, [ Which just in case you were not aware is a better time to cast your net verses now. Trust me I am a fisherman - I know these things. ] and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. [ As if to say, ok I know who you are, I know of your miracles so I will at least humor you, and if you work a miracle here; well that is what it will be - a miracle. ]

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, [ James and John. ] which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, So that they began to sink. [ This is a lot of fish and all from a place that had not yielded fish through the night. ]

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. [ This is Moses saying I am slow to speach, it's Enoch saying I am just a lad and everyone hates me. So here Simon says I am not good enough, I am full of sin you need someone more righteous than I am. ]

9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. [ “The correct translation is, as commentators practically agree, "From henceforth thou shalt take men alive." This reading emphasizes the contrast given in the text—that between capturing fish to kill them and winning men to save them. Consider in this connection the Lord's prediction through Jeremiah (16:16), that in reaching scattered Israel, "Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them;" etc.” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” Apple Books. ] .

11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, [ They gave up everthing to follow him. It appears as if they left their nets while they were still full, that was true sacrifice. ] and followed him.

12 ¶ And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

16 ¶ And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, [ Christ is ministering to the people by teaching and also healing. ] that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

18 ¶ And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

21 And the scribes [ A scribes responsibility was to write down or copy word for word what was said. It was not their duty or responsibility to change, altar or modify in any way what was written. However; it was the scribes who were the ones who modified the text of the old testament books to remove or alter what the Messiah would do and be. They changed him to become a political figure such that the people would not recognize the Savior when he did come. They removed the ordinances and covenants to their ways, ways in which they could control the people through "the Law". for this reason Jesus holds some of his strongest rebukes for the scribes because these were the very ones who were manipulating the text to have it read the way that they wanted - they were perverting that ways of God. ] and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? [ If Jesus were not God, he could not forgive sins; therfore his use or proclaimation of such authority would have been blasphemy against God, in the most proper sense of the word.However they are quickly treated to the proof of his divine authority. In the presence of these scribes and Pharisees he performs three miracles, which from their nature could only be effected by an omniscient and omnipotent Being. Here in front of them he 1) Discerned their private and secret thoughts of the scribes (Matt. 9:4,5 vs 22, 23) 2) The restorated the paralytic in an instant to perfect soundness. (Matt. 9: 6-8) vs 18. “The essence of the deep sin of blasphemy lies not, as many suppose, in profanity alone, but as Dr. Kelso, Stand. Bible Dict., summarizes: "Every improper use of the divine name (Lev. 24:11), speech derogatory to the Majesty of God (Matt. 26:65), and sins with a high hand—i.e. premeditated transgressions of the basal principles of the theocracy (Numb. 9:13; 15:30; Exo. 31:14)—were regarded as blasphemy; the penalty was death by stoning (Lev. 24:16)." Smith's Bible Dict. states: "Blasphemy, in its technical English sense, signifies the speaking evil of God, and in this sense it is found in Psalm 74:18; Isa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24, etc.... On this charge both our Lord and Stephen were condemned to death by the Jews. When a person heard blasphemy he laid his hand on the head of the offender, to symbolize his sole responsibility for the guilt, and rising on his feet, tore his robe, which might never again be mended." (See Matt. 26:65.)” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” Apple Books. ]

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; [ “The following commentary by Edersheim (Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. i, pp. 505, 506) on the incident under consideration is instructive: "In this forgiveness of sins He presented His person and authority as divine, and He proved it such by the miracle of healing which immediately followed. Had the two been inverted, [i.e. had Christ first healed the man and afterward told him that his sins were forgiven] there would have been evidence, indeed, of His power, but not of His divine personality, nor of His having authority to forgive sins; and this, not the doing of miracles, was the object of His teaching and mission, of which the miracles were only secondary evidence. Thus the inward reasoning of the scribes, which was open and known to Him who readeth all thoughts, issued in quite the opposite of what they could have expected. Most unwarranted, indeed, was the feeling of contempt which we trace in their unspoken words, whether we read them: 'Why does this one thus speak blasphemies?' or, according to a more correct transcript of them: 'Why does this one speak thus? He blasphemeth!' Yet from their point of view they were right, for God alone can forgive sins; nor has that power ever been given or delegated to man. But was He a mere man, like even the most honored of God's servants? Man, indeed; but 'the son of Man.' ... It seemed easy to say: 'Thy sins have been forgiven.' But to attained as by the 'evil thoughts' of these scribes, when, miraculously brought to light, they spoke out the inmost possible doubt, and pointed to the highest of all questions concerning the Christ. And so it was once more the wrath of man which praised Him.” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” Apple Books. ] ; or to say, Rise up and walk?

24 But that ye may know that the son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

27 ¶ And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, [ “A word originally meaning a contractor for public works or supplies, or a farmer of public lands, but later applied to Romans who bought from the government the right to collect taxes in a given territory. These buyers, always knights (senators were excluded by their rank), became capitalists and formed powerful stock companies, whose members received a percentage on the capital invested. Provincial capitalists could not buy taxes, which were sold in Rome to the highest bidders, who to recoup themselves sublet their territory (at a great advance on the price paid the government) to the native (local) publicans, who in their turn had to make a profit on their purchase money, and being assessors of property as well as collectors of taxes, had abundant opportunities for oppressing the people, who hated them both for that reason and also because the tax itself was the mark of their subjection to foreigners."—J. R. Sterrett in Stand. Bible Dict.” ] , named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

28 And he left all,[ "katalipwn" or he completely abandoned his office], rose up, and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast [ "dochn megalhn" or splendid entertainment. The word refers more properly to the number of the guests, and the manner in which they were received, than to the quality or quantity of the fare. A great number of his friends and acquaintance was collected on the occasion, that they might be convinced of the propriety of the change he had made, when they had the opportunity of seeing and hearing his heavenly teacher.] in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

33 ¶ And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

36 ¶ And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.