The Gospel of Luke for Readers | Page 6

thou come to destroy us? I know who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. When the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him. The people were amazed and said, What words are these! With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out. His fame went out into every corner of that country.
Jesus went out of the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Simon's wife's mother had a serious fever and they besought Him to help her. Jesus stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she arose and ministered to them.
Now when the sun was setting, many who were sick with divers diseases were brought to Him. He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. Devils came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of God. Jesus rebuked and silenced them because they knew that He was Christ.
When it was day, He left and went into a desert place. The people looked for Him. When they found Him, they tried to prevent Him from departing from them. But Jesus said to them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also. This is why I was sent. And He preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
5 As the people pressed upon Him to hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret. He saw two ships standing by the lake. The fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. He entered one of the ships, which was Simon's, and requested that he thrust out a little from the land. Then He sat down and taught the people from the ship.
When He finished speaking, He said to Simon, Launch out into the deep and let down your nets. Simon said to Him, Master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net.
When he and his crew had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fish and their net broke. They beckoned to their partners, who were in another ship, to come and help them. They came and filled both the ships so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees and said, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon, and all those who were with them, were astonished at the great number of fish. Jesus said to Simon, Fear not. From now on, thou shall catch men. When they landed the fishing boats, they left everything and followed Him.
It came to pass, when He was in a certain city, a man, full of leprosy, on seeing Jesus, fell before Him and said, Lord, if thou will, thou can make me clean. Jesus stretched out His hand, touched him, and said, I will. Be thou clean. Immediately the leprosy left the man. Jesus then directed him to tell no one about this. He said, Go and show thyself to the priest. Offer for thy cleansing, according to Moses command, for a testimony to them.
Nonetheless, His fame was spread even more abroad. Great multitudes gathered to hear and be healed of their infirmities by Him. Jesus withdrew Himself into the wilderness to pray.
One day He was teaching and the power of the Lord to heal was upon Him. There were gathered people that had come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem. Pharisees and doctors of the law sat among them.
Men approached carrying a bed with a man who had a palsy. They looked for a way to bring him in and lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop and lowered him down on his couch through the tiling and into the midst of where Jesus stood. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.
The scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? When Jesus perceived their thoughts, He said to them, Why question in your hearts whether it is easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or, to say, Rise up and walk? That ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (He said to the sick man), Arise. Take up thy couch and go to your home. Immediately he rose up before them, took up that upon which he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. They were all