TAKE HEART, take courage — the imperative Jesus uses to both the paralyzed man and the bleeding woman in the same chapter (Matthew 9:2, 22), the one word linking two otherwise very different healings. It is not mere comfort; in both places it opens a sentence that immediately follows with the reason for courage — forgiveness, or healed faith. KJV renders it 'be of good cheer' both times, which keeps the echo but softens the command; NWT 'take courage.' The same word meets the disciples again on the water, from Jesus himself this time: 'take heart, it is I' (14:27) — panic met with the identical command, whichever side of the boat it comes from. → first discussed at Matt 9:2