Luke 5
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Important: This is not a translation or paraphrase, but a story based on Luke 5.
[Note: In the word pronunciations I have made the vowels with a Long Sound bold while the vowels with a short sound are in normal print. Academic Associate students know that the "u" has 3 long sounds. These sounds are separated from each other with a 1, 2 or 3. Sometimes a vowel does not have a sound in a syllable. In dictionaries this is usually shown with a "ə" but I have chosen simply not to show it since it has no sound. Also, when the "r" says it name instead of its normal sound, I have put it in bold. Academic Associate students, of course, know why and when it says its name instead of its sound.]
Jesus Goes Fishing
One day as Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee [Gal u le], with the people crowding around Him and listening to the Word of God, He saw at the water's edge two boats. They had been left there by professional fisherman who were now washing their nets. Jesus had an idea. He stepped into one of the boats, the one belonging to Peter, and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and began teaching the people again. Now they could hear and see Him better.
When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Peter, "Now go out into the deeper water and let down your nets to catch some fish."
Peter was tired and discouraged so he replied, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have not caught anything. But, if You really want me to, I will let down the nets again."
When Peter and his crew obeyed Jesus, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signalled to their business partners in the other boat to come and help them. They launched out immediately and filled both boats so full that they began to sink!
When Peter saw this miracle, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man and do not deserve Your presence!" He said this because he and his crew were so overwhelmed at what had happened. Their business partners, James and John, were also astonished. Nothing like this had ever happened in their careers.
Jesus smiled and said to Peter, "Do not be afraid of Me. From now on you will fish for men instead of fish!"
So when Peter, James and John had pulled their boats up onto the shore, they left everything and became disciples of Jesus.
Jesus Heals
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy [lep ru se]. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged Him, "Lord, if You are willing, You can heal me."
Leprosy was contagious and so it was against the law to touch anyone who had this disease [di zez]. But Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.
Jesus said, "I am willing. Be healed."
Instantly the leprosy left him and he was totally well.
Jesus then ordered him, "Do not tell anyone what happened, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded so that you can be officially declared healed and return to your home. This will be a testimony for them."
In spite of His warning, the news about what Jesus had done spread quickly. Crowds of people came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often slipped away from the crowds to go to lonely places and pray.
Jesus Forgives Sins
One day Jesus was sitting in a house teaching the people. The Pharisees [Far i ses] and teachers of the law had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea [Ju2 de u] and Jerusalem [Ju ru2 su lum] to see what He was teaching. The power of the Lord was present in the meeting for Jesus to heal the sick.
Some men came carrying a paralytic [par u lit ik] on a mat. They tried to push their way into the house to see Jesus, but the crowd was too thick and they could not get in. These men were not about to give up when they were so close. They took the paralytic onto the flat rooftop. After figuring out where Jesus was sitting, they made a hole in the roof. Then they lowered the paralytic on his mat down into the room right in front of Jesus!
When Jesus saw their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
The Pharisees and teachers of the law were shocked that He would say such a thing. They began thinking to themselves, "Who does this Man think He is? This is blasphemy [blas fu me]! Only God can forgive sins."
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which do you think is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? I did it this way so that you would know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." He then looked back to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
Immediately the man stood up in front of everyone. He took the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God for his miracle. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God, saying, "We have seen remarkable things today!"
Jesus Calls Matthew To Follow Him
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Matthew sitting at his tax booth.
"Follow Me," Jesus said to him. Matthew, who like all tax collectors was hated by the Jews, was shocked that Jesus would choose him. He got up, left everything and followed Jesus.
Matthew then hosted a great banquet in Jesus' honour at his beautiful home. He invited all his tax collector friends and other outcasts of society to the party. The Pharisees and teachers of the law saw Jesus and His disciples going to this banquet and complained to the disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other 'sinners'? You know they are not good people to be around."
Jesus heard them and answered for the disciples, "It is not healthy people who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I did not come to call people who think they are righteous to repentance, but people who know they are not righteous."
Question About Fasting
The people asked Jesus, "The disciples of John the Baptist fast and pray often. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why is it Your disciples are always eating and drinking?"
Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the Bridegroom fast while He is celebrating with them? The time will come when the Bridegroom leaves, then they will have times of fasting."
Jesus went on to tell them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new clothes and the patch will not match the old one. He would have ruined both. Or, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does the new wine will expand but the old wineskins will not be able to expand so they will break. The wine will be lost and the wineskins will be useless. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'"
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