Matthew Chapter Nine Poem by Day Williams

1 So Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over
And came to his own town.2 Immediately
Some people brought a paralytic, who

Was lying on a mat, to him. When Jesus
Witnessed their faith, he told the paralytic,
"Cheer up, my son; for I've forgiven all

Your sins." 3 At this, some teachers of the law
Said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming! "
4 Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, said,

"Why do you entertain such evil thoughts?
5 Do you suppose that it is easier
To say, ‘I have forgiven all your sins',

Or say, ‘Get up and walk'? 6 But so you'll know
The Son of Man has full authority
Upon earth to forgive sins...." Then he told

The paralytic, "Get up, take your mat,
And go home." 7 The man got up and went home,
8 And when the crowd saw what had happened they

Were filled with awe and they praised God for giving
Men such authority.9 As Jesus went
From there, he saw a man named Matthew who

Sat at his desk within the booth for tax
Collectors. "Follow me, " he said, and Matthew
Got up and followed him.10 While Jesus was

Dining in Matthew's house, a lot of tax
Collectors and disreputable people
Arrived and ate with him and his disciples.

11 Now when the Pharisees saw this, they asked
His followers, "Why does your teacher eat
With tax collectors and such sinners? " 12 On

Hearing this, Jesus said, "The healthy do
Not need a doctor, but the sick,13 but go
And learn the meaning of this: ‘I desire

Mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not
Come to invite the righteous, but the sinners, "
14 Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How

Is it we and the Pharisees observe
The fasts, but your disciples do not fast? "
15 Jesus replied, "How can the bridegroom's guests

Mourn while he is with them? The time will come
When he'll be taken from them; then they'll fast.
16 "No one will sew a patch of unshrunk cloth

On an old garment, for the patch will pull
Away, making the tear worse—17 neither do
Men pour new wine into old wineskins. If

They do, the skins will burst, the wine will run
Out and the wineskins will be ruined. No,
They pour new wine into new wineskins, and

Both are preserved." 18 While he was saying this,
A ruler came and knelt before him, saying,
"My daughter has just died. But come and put

Your hand on her, and she will live, " 19 so Jesus
Arose and went with him, and so did his
Disciples.20 On the way a woman who

Had had a hemorrhage for twelve years approached
Him from behind and touched his garment's hem.
21 She told herself, "If I can only touch

His cloak, I will be healed, " 22 but Jesus turned
Around and saw her. "Take heart, daughter, " he
Told her, "your faith has healed you, " and
the woman

Was healed right then.23 When Jesus went inside
The ruler's house and saw flute players and
The noisy crowd,24 he said, "You must all go

Outside. The girl's not dead but fast asleep."
At this they laughed at him,25 but once the crowd
had been put outside, he went in and

Took hold of the girl's hand, and she got up.
26 News of this spread throughout that area.
27 As Jesus went along from there, two blind

Men followed him and called, "Have mercy on
Us, Son of David! " 28 When he'd gone indoors,
The blind men came to him, and he inquired,

"Do you believe that I can do this? " "Yes,
Lord, " they replied,29 and then he touched their eyes
And said, "According to your faith it will

Be done to you"; 30 and then they had their sight
Restored, but Jesus sternly warned them, "See
That no one knows about this, " 31 but they went

And spread the news about him all around
That area.32 While they were going out,
He met a man who couldn't speak because a demon

Possessed him. Jesus cast the demon out
33 And instantly the man could talk. The crowd,
Amazed, said, "Israel has never seen

A thing like this." 34 "It's by the demons' prince, "
The Pharisees said, "that he drives out demons."
35 Jesus traveled around through all the towns

And villages; he taught in synagogues
And preached the kingdom's good news,
and he healed
Every disease and sickness.36 When he saw

The crowds, he had compassion on them, for
They were confused and miserable as sheep
Without a shepherd,37 then he said to his

Disciples, "Yes, the harvest's plentiful
And yet the workers are so few. So pray
The harvest's Lord, to escalate the yield,

Will send more workers to his harvest field."