Luke 5

1 On one occasion [at a specific time, as it came to pass], while Jesus [the Messiah, the Christ] was standing [in an upright position, physically present] by the Lake [a body of water, a sea] of Gennesaret [a place of abundance, near the Sea of Galilee] with the crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] pressing in [pushing, laying upon] on Him to hear [to listen, to understand] the word [Logos, the divine Expression] of God [the supreme Deity, the Creator], word study 2 He saw [noticed, observed] two boats [ships, vessels] at the edge [beside, by the shore] of the lake [a body of water, a pond]. The fishermen [aliyes, those who catch fish] had left [gone out, stepped away] them and were washing [cleaning, rinsing] their nets [fishing nets, seines]. word study 3 Jesus got into [climbed aboard, stepped into] the boat [ship, vessel] belonging to Simon [a disciple, a follower] and asked him to put out [thrust out, set off] a little [a short distance, a small way] from shore [the land, the earth]. And sitting down [seating Himself, taking a seat], He taught [instructed, guided] the people [the crowd, the multitudes] from the boat [ship, vessel]. word study 4 When Jesus had finished [ceased, stopped] speaking [talking, uttering words], He said to Simon [the apostle, Peter], “Put out [launch, set off] into [toward, into the midst of] deep [profound, abysmal] water [the sea, the abyss] and let down [lower, cast] your nets [fishing nets, seines] for a catch [a draught, a haul].” word study 5 “Master [Teacher, one who guides and instructs],” Simon replied, “we have worked hard [labored, toiled] all night [the entire darkness] without catching anything [taking nothing, no fish]. But because You say so [at Your word, according to Your command], I will let down the nets [lower the fishing nets, cast out the lines].” word study 6 When they had done so [having obeyed, carried out the instruction], they caught [enclosed, inclosed] such a large number [a great multitude, a vast amount] of fish [fish of all kinds] that their nets [fishing nets, seine] began to tear [break, be torn apart]. word study 7 So they signaled [beckoned, made signs] to their partners [associates, fellow workers] in the other [different, another] boat [ship, vessel] to come [approach, draw near] and help [assist, seize] them, and they came [arrived, came to their aid] and filled [completed, made full] both [two, a pair] boats [ships, vessels] so full [to the point of abundance] that they began [started, commenced] to sink [drown, be submerged]. word study 8 When Simon Peter [the rock, Jesus’ apostle] saw this, he fell [prostrated himself, beat against] at Jesus’ [the Lord, God’s Son] knees. “Go away from me [depart, leave my presence], Lord [Master, the One in authority],” he said, “for I am a [morally] sinful [guilty, wicked] man [a human, a mortal].” word study 9 For he [was utterly astonished] and his companions [all who were with him] were astonished [amazed, filled with wonder] at the catch [draught, haul] of fish [a large quantity] they had taken [seized, caught], word study 10 and so were his partners [fellow workers, companions] James [son of Zebedee] and John, the sons [children, descendants] of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid [do not fear, have no fear],” Jesus [the Savior, God’s Son] said to Simon. “From now on [henceforth, from this time forward] you will catch [capture alive, gather] men [people, human beings].” word study 11 And when they had brought [dragged onto the shore] their boats [ships] ashore, they left [forsook, gave up] everything [all things, their entire livelihood] and followed [accompanied, went after] Him [Jesus]. word study 12 While Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Anointed] was in one of the towns [cities, populated areas], a man came along who was covered [completely filled, full of] with leprosy [a serious skin disease]. When he saw Jesus, he fell [prostrated himself, collapsed] facedown [on his face, in humility] and begged Him, “Lord [Master, God], if You are willing [if it is Your desire, if You wish], You can make me clean [pure, free from sin, healed].” word study 13 Jesus reached out [stretched forth] His hand [the instrument of His power] and touched [made physical contact with, showing intimacy] the man. “I am willing [desire, intentionally choose],” He said. “Be clean [purified, made whole]!” And immediately [at once, without delay] the leprosy [a serious skin disease] left [departed from, was removed from] him. word study 14 “Do not tell [reveal to no one, keep silent about] anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go [depart, go away], show [exhibit, present] yourself to the priest [one who serves God, a spiritual leader] and present [offer, bring near] the offering [a gift, a sacrifice] Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] prescribed [ordered, commanded] for your cleansing [purification, spiritual renewal], as [for the purpose of, in order to provide] a testimony [proof, evidence] to them [the people, the community].” word study 15 But the news [report, fame] about Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] spread [went abroad, was proclaimed] all the more [to a greater degree, increasingly], and great crowds [multitudes, large groups] came to hear [listen to, obey] Him and to be healed [cured, restored to health] of their sicknesses [infirmities, weaknesses, diseases]. word study 16 Yet He frequently [often, as a regular practice] withdrew [stepped aside, retired] to the wilderness [deserted places, solitary areas] to pray [communicate with God, worship Him]. word study 17 One day [on a certain day, at a specific time] Jesus was teaching [instructing, guiding], and the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict followers of the law] and teachers of the law [experts in Jewish scripture] were sitting there [seated, in attendance]. People had come [gathered, arrived] from Jerusalem [the capital city, a center of worship] and from every village [town, community] of Galilee [a region in northern Palestine] and Judea [a region in southern Palestine], and the power [miraculous ability] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority] was present [available, at work] for Him to heal [to cure, restore to health] the sick [those in need of physical or spiritual restoration]. word study 18 Just then [behold, and it came to pass] some men [adult males, husbands] came carrying [bearing, leading] a paralyzed [struck with palsy, weakened] man [a human being, a person] on a mat [a bed, a couch]. They tried [sought, attempted] to bring him inside [to bring in, to lay before] to set [to place, to lay] him before [in the presence of, before the face of] Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior], word study 19 but they could not find [by what way, any means] a way [a path, a passage] through the crowd [a multitude, a large group of people]. So they went up [ascended, climbed] on the roof [the housetop, the top of the house] and lowered him [let him down, brought him down] on his mat [with his bed, his pallet] through the tiles [the clay roof tiles, the tiling] into the middle [the midst, the center] of the crowd, right [directly, immediately] in front of [before, in the presence of] Jesus [Joshua, the Savior]. word study 20 When Jesus saw [perceived, understood] their faith [trust, confidence in God], He said, “Friend [Man, a human being], your sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards] are forgiven [released, left behind, sent away] [to you, for your benefit].” word study 21 But the scribes [scholars of the law, teachers] and Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict followers of tradition] began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man [Jesus, the Messiah] who speaks blasphemy [evil words against God, slander]? Who can forgive sins [release from guilt, pardon] but God [the one true deity, Almighty] alone [the only one, solitary]?” word study 22 Knowing [perceiving, having insight into] what they were thinking [reasoning, having thoughts], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] replied, “Why are you thinking [reasoning, discussing] these things [thoughts, ideas] in your hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions]? word study 23 Which [what choice] is easier [more simple, less difficult]: to say [speak or declare], ‘Your [to you personally] sins [missing the mark] are forgiven [released and left],’ or to say [speak or declare], ‘Get up [arise and stand] and walk [live and move]?’ word study 24 But so that you may know [be aware, perceive] that the Son of Man [the Messiah, God’s representative] has authority [power, dominion] on the earth [the physical world, humanity’s realm] to forgive sins [release from guilt, pardon transgressions]…” He said to the paralytic [the man paralyzed, crippled], “I tell you [command you, instruct you], get up [arise, stand], pick up [lift, take] your mat [bed, pallet], and go [travel, journey] home [to your house, into your life].” word study 25 And immediately [at once, instantly] the man stood up [rose, arose] before them, took what he had been lying on [his bed, mat], and went home [to his house, own house] glorifying [praising, giving honor to] God [the one true deity]. word study 26 Everyone was taken with [great, utter] amazement [a strong feeling of surprise] and glorified [praised, honored] God [the one true deity]. They were filled with [deep, profound] awe [fear, reverence] and said, “We have seen [perceived, witnessed] remarkable [strange, extraordinary] things [events, happenings] today [at this present time].” word study 27 After this [following these events], Jesus went out [from the town, into the open] and saw a tax collector [publican, one who gathers revenue] named Levi [possibly the same person as Matthew, a disciple] sitting at the tax booth [place of toll, receipt of custom, where taxes are collected]. “Follow Me [accompany Me, come after Me],” He told him [said unto him, spoke to him], word study 28 and Levi got up [rose, stood], left [abandoned, forsook] everything [all, his business], and followed [accompanied, went after] Him [Jesus]. word study 29 Then Levi [a Christian, possibly the same person as Matthew] hosted [organized, made] a great [large, magnificent] banquet [feast, reception] for Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior] at his house [home, residence]. A large [great, multitude] crowd [group, assembly] of tax collectors [publicans, revenue gatherers] was there, along with [together with, in company with] others [different ones, people of other occupations] who were eating [reclining, sitting down] with them [in their company, among them]. word study 30 But the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] and their scribes [scholars or teachers of the law] complained [murmured, expressed disapproval] to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat [consume food, share a meal] and drink [swallow a liquid, participate in a social gathering] with tax collectors [publicans, those who gathered public revenue] and sinners [those who do wrong, are morally corrupt, sinful ones]?” word study 31 Jesus [the Savior, God is salvation] answered, “It is not the healthy [those who are whole, having sound health] who need a doctor [physician, one who heals], but the sick [those who are ill, in a bad state, physically or morally]. word study 32 I have not come [to invite or summon] to call the righteous [just, innocent, or those who think they are righteous], but [on the contrary] sinners [those who are sinful, or who know they are sinners], to repentance [a change of heart, turning from sin to God].” word study 33 Then they said to Him, “John’s [the Baptist, a prophet] disciples and those of the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict adherents to tradition] frequently [often, as a regular practice] fast [abstain from food, for spiritual purposes] and pray [make petitions, offer supplications], but Yours [your followers, disciples] keep on eating [consuming food, for physical sustenance] and drinking [swallowing liquids, for refreshment].” word study 34 Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests [friends, children] of the bridegroom [the groom, husband] fast [abstain from food, go without eating] while He [the bridegroom, the Lord] is with them [in their presence, among them]? word study 35 But the time [a future season, a coming era] will come when the bridegroom [the husband in a newly formed marriage] will be taken [removed, withdrawn] from them [separated, apart]; then [at that point, in that moment] they will fast [abstain from food, practice self-denial].” word study 36 He also told them a parable [a story that teaches a moral lesson]: “No one tears a piece of cloth [a patch] from a new [fresh] garment and sews it on an old [worn] one. If he does, he will tear the new [undamaged] garment as well, and the patch [piece of cloth] from the new will not match [agree with] the old [existing]. word study 37 And no one [nobody, not a single person] pours new [freshly made, recently created] wine into old [aged, worn out] wineskins. If he does, the new [young, recently produced] wine will burst [throw violently, break] the skins, the wine will spill [be poured out, lost], and the wineskins will be ruined [destroyed, lost completely]. word study 38 Instead [on the contrary], new [fresh, recently created] wine is poured [must be put, applied] into new [unused, recently made] wineskins [leather bags, containers for wine]. word study 39 And no one [nobody, none] after drinking [having drunk, to swallow] old [aged, vintage] wine wants [desires, to will] new [fresh, youthful], for he says [speaks, declares], ‘The old [established, traditional] is better [more profitable, good].’” word study