Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Matthew 8
Jesus Makes a Man Clean
When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. And look—a man with a serious skin disease came, bowed before him, and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, “I am willing. Be made clean.” Immediately he was cleansed of the disease. Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one. Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
A Centurion Trusts Jesus
When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him and appealed to him, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have found no one in Israel with such great faith. I tell you that many will come from east and west and will recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go. Let it happen for you as you trusted.” And the servant was healed at that hour.
Healings at Peter's House
When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and began serving him. When evening came, people brought to him many who were oppressed by demons. He cast out the spirits with a word and healed everyone who was sick, so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: “He took our weaknesses and carried our diseases.”
The Cost of Following
When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go to the other side. A scribe came and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Jesus Calms the Storm
Jesus got into the boat, and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves. But Jesus was sleeping. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little trust?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
Two Men Freed from Demons
When Jesus came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demonized men coming out of the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. And look—they cried out, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away, a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” He said to them, “Go.” They came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the water. The herders fled, went into the city, and reported everything, including what had happened to the demonized men. Then the whole city went out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.