Having taught the People out of Peter's ship, 4. he sheweth in a miraculous taking of fishes how he will make him the fisher of men. 12. He cureth a leper by touching him, and sendeth him to the Priest in witness that he is not against Moyses. 15. The People flocking unto him, he retireth into the wilderness. 17. To the Pharisees in a solemn assembly he proveth by a miracle his power to remit sins in earth. 27. He defendeth his eating with sinners, as being the Physician of souls. 33. and his not prescribing as yet of any fasts to his Disciples.Hauing taught the People out of Peters ship, 4. he sheweth in a miraculous taking of fishes how he wil make him the fisher of men. 12. He cureth a leper by touching him, and sendeth him to the Priest in witnesse that he is not against Moyses. 15. The People flocking vnto him, he retireth into the wildernesse. 17. To the Pharisees in a solemne assembly he proueth by a miracle his power to remit sinnes in earth. 27. He defendeth his eating with sinners, as being the Physicion of soules. 33. and his not prescribing as yet of any fastes to his Disciples.
And it came to pass, when the multitudes pressed upon him to hear the word of God, and himself stood beside the lake of Genesareth.AND it came to passe, when the multitudes pressed vpon him to heare the word of God, and him self stood beside the lake of Genesareth.Factum est autem, cum turbæ irruerent in eum ut audirent verbum Dei, et ipse stabat secus stagnum Genesareth.
2And he saw two ships standing by the lake: and the fishers were gone down, and washed their nets.\* And he saw two ships standing by the lake: and the fishers were gone downe, and washed their nets.Et vidit duas naves stantes secus stagnum : piscatores autem descenderant, et lavabant retia.
3And he going up into one ship that was Simon's, desired him to bring it back a little from the land. And sitting he taught the multitudes out of the ship.And he going vp into one ship that was Simons, desired him to bring it back a litle from the land. And sitting he taught the multitudes out of the ship.Ascendens autem in unam navim, quæ erat Simonis, rogavit eum a terra reducere pusillum. Et sedens docebat de navicula turbas.
4And as he ceased to speak, he said to Simon: Launch forth into the deep, and let loose your nets to make a capturam: a catch, a haul, the netting of fish (not a current of air or a drink).And as he ceased to speake, he said to Simon: Launch forth into the deep, and let loose your nets to make a draught.Ut cessavit autem loqui, dixit ad Simonem : Duc in altum, et laxate retia vestra in capturam.
5And Simon answering, said to him: Master, labouring all the night, we have taken nothing; but in thy word I will let loose the net.And Simon answering, said to him: Maister, labouring al the night, we haue taken nothing; but in thy word I wil let loose the net.Et respondens Simon, dixit illi : Præceptor, per totam noctem laborantes nihil cepimus : in verbo autem tuo laxabo rete.
6And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes, and their net was broken.And when they had done this, they inclosed a very great multitude of fishes, and their net was broken.Et cum hoc fecissent, concluserunt piscium multitudinem copiosam : rumpebatur autem rete eorum.
7And they beckoned to their fellows that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both ships, so that they did sink.And they beckned to their felowes that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both ships, so that they did sinke.Et annuerunt sociis, qui erant in alia navi, ut venirent, et adjuvarent eos. Et venerunt, et impleverunt ambas naviculas, ita ut pene mergerentur.
8Which when Simon Peter did see, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: Go forth from me, because I am a sinful man, O Lord.Which when Simon Peter did see, he fel downe at IESVS knees, saying: Goe forth from me, because I am a sinful man, O Lord.Quod cum videret Simon Petrus, procidit ad genua Jesu, dicens : Exi a me, quia homo peccator sum, Domine.
9For he was wholly astonished and all that were with him, at the draught of fishes which they had taken.For he was wholy astonished and al that were with him, at the draught of fishes which they had taken.Stupor enim circumdederat eum, et omnes qui cum illo erant, in captura piscium, quam ceperant :
10In like manner also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's fellows. And Jesus said to Simon: Fear not; from this time now, thou shalt be taking men.In like maner also Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee, who were Simons felowes. And IESVS said to Simon: Feare not; from this time now, thou shalt be taking men.similiter autem Jacobum et Joannem, filios Zebedæi, qui erant socii Simonis. Et ait ad Simonem Jesus : Noli timere : ex hoc jam homines eris capiens.
11And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things they followed him.And hauing brought their ships to land, leauing al things they folowed him.Et subductis ad terram navibus, relictis omnibus, secuti sunt eum.
12And it came to pass, when he was in one of the cities, behold a man full of leprosy, and seeing Jesus, and falling on his face, besought him saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.\* And it came to passe, when he was in one of the cities, behold a man ful of leprosie, and seeing IESVS, and falling on his face, besought him saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane.Et factum est, cum esset in una civitatum, et ecce vir plenus lepra, et videns Jesum, et procidens in faciem, rogavit eum, dicens : Domine, si vis, potes me mundare.
13And stretching forth the hand he touched him, saying: I will. Be thou made clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.And stretching foth the hand he touched him, saying: I wil. Be thou made cleane. And immediatly the leprosie departed from him.Et extendens manum, tetigit eum dicens : Volo : mundare. Et confestim lepra discessit ab illo.
14And he commanded him that he should tell no body, but Go, shew thyself to the Priest, and offer for thy cleansing as Moyses commanded, for a testimony to them.And he commanded him that he should tel no body, but Goe, shew thy self to the Priest, and offer for thy cleansing as Moyses commanded, for a testimonie to them.Et ipse præcepit illi ut nemini diceret : sed, Vade, ostende te sacerdoti, et offer pro emundatione tua, sicut præcepit Moyses, in testimonium illis.
15But the sermo: the report, rumour, common talk that spread abroad (not a brute beast; cf. French bruit) of him went abroad the more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be cured of their infirmities.But the bruit of him went abrode the more, and great multitudes came togeather to heare, and to be cured of their infirmities.Perambulabat autem magis sermo de illo : et conveniebant turbæ multæ ut audirent, et curarentur ab infirmitatibus suis.
16And he retired into the desert, and prayed.And he retired into the desert, and praied.Ipse autem secedebat in desertum, et orabat.
17And it came to pass one day, and he sat teaching. And there were Pharisees sitting and Doctors of Law that were come out of every town of Galilee and Jewry and Jerusalem: and the virtus: power, mighty force (not moral goodness) of our Lord was to heal them.\* And it came to passe one day, and he sate teaching. And there were Pharisees sitting and Doctours of Law that were come out of euery towne of Galilee and Iewrie and Hierusalem: and the vertue of our Lord was to heale them.Et factum est in una dierum, et ipse sedebat docens. Et erant pharisæi sedentes, et legis doctores, qui venerant ex omni castello Galilææ, et Judææ, et Jerusalem : et virtus Domini erat ad sanandum eos.
18And behold men carrying in a bed a man that had the palsy: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him,And behold men carying in a bed a man that had the palsey: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him,Et ecce viri portantes in lecto hominem, qui erat paralyticus : et quærebant eum inferre, et ponere ante eum.
19And not finding on which side they might bring him in for the multitude, they went up upon the roof, and through the tiles let him down with the bed into the midst, before Jesus.And not finding on which side they might bring him in for the multitude, they went vp vpon the roofe, and through the tiles let him downe with the bed into the middes, before IESVS.Et non invenientes qua parte illum inferrent præ turba, ascenderunt supra tectum, et per tegulas summiserunt eum cum lecto in medium ante Jesum.
20Whose faith when he saw, he said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.Whose faith when he saw, he said: Man, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee.Quorum fidem ut vidit, dixit : Homo, remittuntur tibi peccata tua.
21And the Scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but only God?And the Scribes and Pharisees began to thinke, saying: Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgiue sinnes, but only God?Et cœperunt cogitare scribæ et pharisæi, dicentes : Quis est hic, qui loquitur blasphemias ? quis potest dimittere peccata, nisi solus Deus ?
22And when Jesus knew their cogitationes: thoughts, the workings of the mind, answering he said to them: What do you think in your hearts?And when IESVS knew their cogitations, answering he said to them: What doe you thinke in your hartes?Ut cognovit autem Jesus cogitationes eorum, respondens, dixit ad illos : Quid cogitatis in cordibus vestris ?
23Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?Which is easier to say, Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee; or to say, Arise, and walke?Quid est facilius dicere : Dimittuntur tibi peccata : an dicere : Surge, et ambula ?
24But that you may know that the Son of man hath power in earth to forgive sins (he said to the sick of the palsy) I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.But that you may know that the Sonne of man hath power in earth to forgiue sinnes (he said to the sick of the palsey) I say to thee, Arise, take vp thy bed, and goe into thy house.Ut autem sciatis quia Filius hominis habet potestatem in terra dimittendi peccata, (ait paralytico) tibi dico, surge, tolle lectum tuum, et vade in domum tuam.
25And forthwith rising up before them, he took that wherein he lay, and he went into his house, magnifying God.And forthwith rising vp before them, he tooke that wherein he lay, and he went into his house, magnifying God.Et confestim consurgens coram illis, tulit lectum in quo jacebat : et abiit in domum suam, magnificans Deum.
26And all were astonished: and they magnified God. And they were repleti: filled, filled full (not refilled or restocked) with fear, saying: That we have seen marvelous things to day.And al were astonished: and they magnified God. And they were replenished with feare, saying: That we haue seen maruelous things to day.Et stupor apprehendit omnes, et magnificabant Deum. Et repleti sunt timore, dicentes : Quia vidimus mirabilia hodie.
27And after these things he went forth, and saw a Publican called Levi, sitting at the Custom-telonium: the toll-booth, the tax-collector's station, and he said to him: Follow me.\* And after these things he went forth, and saw a Publican called Leui, sitting at the Custome-house, and he said to him: Folow me.Et post hæc exiit, et vidit publicanum nomine Levi, sedentem ad telonium, et ait illi : Sequere me.
28And leaving all things, he rose and followed him.And leauing al things, he rose and folowed him.Et relictis omnibus, surgens secutus est eum.
29And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a great multitude of Publicans and of others that were sitting at the table with them.And Leui made him a great feast in his house; and there was a great multitude of Publicans and of others that were sitting at the table with them.Et fecit ei convivium magnum Levi in domo sua : et erat turba multa publicanorum, et aliorum qui cum illis erant discumbentes.
30And their Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying to his disciples: Why do you eat and drink with Publicans and sinners?And their Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying to his disciples: Why doe you eate and drinke with Publicans and sinners?Et murmurabant pharisæi et scribæ eorum, dicentes ad discipulos ejus : Quare cum publicanis et peccatoribus manducatis et bibitis ?
31And Jesus answering said to them: They that are whole, need not the Physician: but they that are ill at male habent: sick, in poor health (not nervous or uncomfortable).And IESVS answering said to them: They that are whole, need not the Physicion: but they that are il at ease.Et respondens Jesus, dixit ad illos : Non egent qui sani sunt medico, sed qui male habent.
32I came not to call the just, but sinners to pœnitentiam: do penance; the turning and conversion of heart, with amendment of life.I came not to cal the iust, but sinners to penance.Non veni vocare justos, sed peccatores ad pœnitentiam.
33But they said to him: Why do the Disciples of John fast often, and make obsecrationes: earnest supplications, entreaties, prayers, and of the Pharisees in like manner; but thine do eat and drink?But they said to him: \* Why doe the Disciples of Iohn fast often, and make obsecrations, and of the Pharisees in like maner; but thine doe eate and drinke?At illi dixerunt ad eum : Quare discipuli Joannis jejunant frequenter, et obsecrationes faciunt, similiter et pharisæorum : tui autem edunt et bibunt ?
34To whom he said: Why, can you make the children of the bridegroom fast whiles the bridegroom is with them?To whom he said: Why, can you make the children of the bridegrome fast whiles the bridegrome is with them?Quibus ipse ait : Numquid potestis filios sponsi, dum cum illis est sponsus, facere jejunare ?
35But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.But the daies wil come; and when the bridegrome shal be taken away from them, then they shal fast in those daies.Venient autem dies, cum ablatus fuerit ab illis sponsus : tunc jejunabunt in illis diebus.
36And he said a similitudinem: a comparison, a parable or figurative saying (not a mere resemblance) also unto them: That no man putteth a piece from a new garment into an old garment; otherwise both he breaketh the new, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old.And he said a similitude also vnto them: That no man putteth a peece from a new garment into an old garment; otherwise both he breaketh the new, and the peece from the new agreeth not with the old.Dicebat autem et similitudinem ad illos : Quia nemo commissuram a novo vestimento immittit in vestimentum vetus : alioquin et novum rumpit, et veteri non convenit commissura a novo.
37And no body putteth new wine into old utres: wineskins, flexible vessels of hide (not glass or earthen bottles); otherwise the new wine will break the bottles, and itself will be shed, and the bottles will be lost.And no bodie putteth new wine into old bottels; otherwise the new wine wil breake the bottels, and it self wil be shed, and the bottels wil be lost.Et nemo mittit vinum novum in utres veteres : alioquin rumpet vinum novum utres, et ipsum effundetur, et utres peribunt :
38But new wine is to be put into new bottles: and both are preserved together.But new wine is to be put into new bottels: and both are preserued togeather.sed vinum novum in utres novos mittendum est, et utraque conservantur.
39And no man drinking old, will new statim: at once, immediately, straightway (not eventually or after a while) and by, for he saith, The old, is better.And no man drinking old, wil new by and by, for he saith, The old, is better.Et nemo bibens vetus, statim vult novum : dicit enim : Vetus melius est.
Annotations
3One ship, Simon's. It is purposely expressed that there were two ships, and that one of them was Peter's, and that Christ went into that one, and sat down in it, and that sitting he taught out of that ship: no doubt to signify that the chair of Christ and only true preaching Church is resembled by Peter's ship.
6A great multitude of fishes. Likewise by this signification or miracle wrought about Peter's fishing, is evidently foreshewed what wonderful success Peter should have in converting men to Christ, both Jews and Gentiles: as when at one draught, that is to say, at one Sermon he drew into his ship, which is Christ's Church, a great number of souls, as he did now also fishes: and so continually by himself and his Successors unto the world's end. Acts 2, 41. 4, 4.
7Beckoned to their fellows. Peter had so much work that he called for help and joined unto him the other ship representing to us his Copartners in the preaching of the Gospel, and the conjunction of the Synagogue and the People of Gentility unto Peter's ship, that is, to the Church of Christ. St. Ambrose, li. 4. in Luc.
10Thou shalt be taking men. That all this aforesaid did properly mean Peter's travails to come in the conversion of the world to Christ, and his prerogative before all men therein, it is evident by Christ's special promise made to him severally and apart in this place, that he should be made the taker of men, though to other he speaketh also, as to Peter's cooperators and coadjutors the like office. Matt. 4, 19.
19Went up upon the roof. A strange diligence in procuring corporal health to Christ: and an example for us of the like or greater, to obtain salvation of him either for ourselves or our friends, and to seek to his Church and Sacraments with what extraordinary pain soever.
20Whose faith. Great is God (saith St. Ambrose) and pardoneth one part through the merits of others. Therefore if thou doubt to obtain forgiveness of thy great offenses, join unto thyself intercessors, use the Church's help, which may pray for thee and obtain for thee that which our Lord might deny to thyself. St. Ambrose, li. 5.
24The Son of man in earth. By which act (saith St. Cyril) it is clear that the Son of man hath power in earth to remit sins, which he said both for himself and us. For he, as God being made man and Lord of the Law, forgiveth sins. And we also have obtained by him that wonderful grace. For it is said to his Disciples: Whose sins you shall remit, they are remitted to them. And how should not he be able to remit sins, who gave others power to do the same? In the Catena of St. Thomas. John 20, 23.
28Leaving all, and followed him. The profane Julian charged Matthew of too much lightness, to leave all and follow a stranger at one word. But indeed hereby is seen the marvelous efficacy of Christ's Word and internal working, that in a moment can alter the heart of a man, and cause him nothing to esteem the things most dear unto him: which he did not only then in Peter, but also daily doth in the Church. For so St. Antony, St. Francis, and others, by hearing only the Word of our Saviour read in the Church, forsook all, and followed him. St. Jerome, in Matt. 9. St. Athanasius, in vita S. Antonii. St. Augustine, Confess. St. Bonaventure, in vita S. Francisci.