13. Go and learn what this means, 'I want mercy and not sacrifice.' (Hosea 6:6) I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me."
14. One day John's disciples came. They said to Jesus, "We and the Pharisees go without eating. Why don't your disciples go without eating?"
15. Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the groom be sad while he is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.
16. "People don't sew a patch of new cloth on old clothes. The new piece will pull away from the old. That will make the tear worse.
17. "People don't pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst. The wine will run out, and the wineskins will be destroyed. No, everyone pours new wine into new wineskins. Then both are saved."
18. While Jesus was saying this, a ruler came. He got down on his knees in front of Jesus. He said, "My daughter has just died. But come and place your hand on her. Then she will live again."
19. Jesus got up and went with him. So did his disciples.
20. Just then a woman came up behind Jesus. She had a sickness that made her bleed. It had lasted for 12 years. She touched the edge of his clothes.
21. She thought, "I only need to touch his clothes. Then I will be healed."
22. Jesus turned and saw her. "Dear woman, don't give up hope," he said. "Your faith has healed you." The woman was healed at that very moment.
23. When Jesus entered the ruler's house, he saw the flute players there. And he saw the noisy crowd.
24. He said, "Go away. The girl is not dead. She is sleeping." But they laughed at him.
25. After the crowd had been sent outside, Jesus went in. He took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
26. News about what Jesus had done spread all over that area.