1 The beginning of the gospel of JesusChrist, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in theProphets,
4 Johncame baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
5 The whole Judean countryside was going out to him, and so werethe people of Jerusalem. They were all being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist; he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He proclaimed, “After me comes one who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Immediately as he was coming upfrom the water, he saw the heavens being split apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 Then a voice came from heaven: “Yoʋ are my belovedSon, in whom I am well pleased.”
12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness,
13 and he wasthere in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the gospelof the kingdom of God
15 and saying,
16 As Jesus waswalking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrewhis brother (that is, Simon's brother) casting a net in the sea, for they were fishermen.
17 Jesus said to them,
18 So they immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 Going on a little fartherfrom there, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother as they were in the boat mending their nets.
20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
21 They went to Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath Jesuswent intothe synagogue and began teaching.
22 The people were astonished at his teaching, because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now in their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit. He cried out,
24 “Leave us alone! What do yoʋ have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have yoʋ come to destroy us? I know who yoʋ are—the Holy One of God.”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying,
26 So the unclean spirit convulsed the man and came out of him, crying out with a loud voice.
27 All the people were amazed so that they questionedamong themselves, saying, “What is this?What new teaching is this that with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him?”
28 And the news about him immediatelyspread throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
29 After leaving the synagogue, they immediately went to the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her.
31 So he went over to her and raised her up, taking hold of her hand.Immediately the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they brought to Jesus all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons.
33 The whole city was gathered together at the door,
34 and he healed many who were sick with various diseases. He also cast out many demons, but he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knewwho he was.
35 Early the next morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus rose and departed. He went off to a desolate place and prayed there.
36 Simon and his companions searched diligently for him,
37 and when they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is looking for yoʋ.”
38 Jesus said to them,
39 So hewas preaching in their synagogues in all of Galilee and casting out demons.
40 Then a leper came up andknelt before him, begging him, “If yoʋ are willing, yoʋ can make me clean.”
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the man, and said to him,
42 When he said this, the leprosy immediately departed from the man, and he was made clean.
43 Then Jesus sternly warned him and immediately sent him away,
44 saying to him,
45 But the man went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places. Yet people were coming to him from everywhere.