1:1 | The beginning of the gospel* of Jesus Christ,* the Son of God.* |
1:2 | As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,* “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way,* |
1:3 | the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make* his paths straight.’”* |
1:4 | In the wilderness* John the baptizer* began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.* |
1:5 | People* from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem* were going out to him, and he was baptizing them* in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. |
1:6 | John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.* |
1:7 | He proclaimed,* “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy* to bend down and untie the strap* of his sandals. |
1:8 | I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” |
1:9 | Now* in those days Jesus came from Nazareth* in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.* |
1:10 | And just as Jesus* was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens* splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.* |
1:11 | And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son;* in you I take great delight.”* |
1:12 | The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. |
1:13 | He was in the wilderness forty days,* enduring temptations from Satan. He* was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs.* |
1:14 | Now after John was imprisoned,* Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel* of God.* |
1:15 | He* said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God* is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” |
1:16 | As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).* |
1:17 | Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.”* |
1:18 | They left their nets immediately and followed him.* |
1:19 | Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their* boat mending nets. |
1:20 | Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. |
1:21 | Then* they went to Capernaum.* When the Sabbath came,* Jesus* went into the synagogue* and began to teach. |
1:22 | The people there* were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority,* not like the experts in the law.* |
1:23 | Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit,* and he cried out,* |
1:24 | “Leave us alone,* Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One* of God!” |
1:25 | But* Jesus rebuked him:* “Silence! Come out of him!”* |
1:26 | After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. |
1:27 | They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” |
1:28 | So* the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee. |
1:29 | Now* as soon as they left the synagogue,* they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. |
1:30 | Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so* they spoke to Jesus* at once about her. |
1:31 | He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve* them. |
1:32 | When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. |
1:33 | The whole town gathered by the door. |
1:34 | So* he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons.* But* he would not permit the demons to speak,* because they knew him.* |
1:35 | Then* Jesus* got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.* |
1:36 | Simon and his companions searched for him. |
1:37 | When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” |
1:38 | He replied,* “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.”* |
1:39 | So* he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues* and casting out demons. |
1:40 | Now* a leper* came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If* you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. |
1:41 | Moved with compassion,* Jesus* stretched out his hand and touched* him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” |
1:42 | The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. |
1:43 | Immediately Jesus* sent the man* away with a very strong warning. |
1:44 | He told him,* “See that you do not say anything to anyone,* but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded* for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”* |
1:45 | But as the man* went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus* was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still* they kept coming* to him from everywhere. |