A QUESTION ABOUT FASTING

14 Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”w

15 Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guestsJ be sad while the groom is with them? The timeK will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse. 17 And no one putsL new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A GIRL RESTORED AND A WOMAN HEALED

18 As he was telling them these things,a suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died,A but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”b 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and followedc him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe,d 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”B,e

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.”C,f And the woman was made well from that moment.D

23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.g 24 “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.”h And they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.i 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.j