John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way,

3the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight,’”

4John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  6Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.  7And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  8I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  10And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.  13And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,  15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  18And immediately they left their nets and followed him.  19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.  20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

21And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.  22And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.  23And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,  24“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”  25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”  26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.  27And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”  28And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many

29And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  30Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.  31And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.  33And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  34And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

35And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.  36And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,  37and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”  38And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”  39And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”  41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”  42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.  43And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,  44and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”  45But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.