Mark 1
1 Beginning of the glad-message of Jesus Christ.
([This is/I want to tell you]) the good message about Jesus Christ, the Son of God (OR, the man who was also God). [What I want to tell you] begins just like the prophet Isaiah [said it would begin, when] he wrote [these words that God said to Jesus: ] Listen! I am sending my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare [people for] your [coming].
2 According as it is written in Isaiah the prophet—Lo! I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way, —
3 A voice of one crying aloud—In the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight, be making his paths.
He will call out to people [who pass by where he is] in the desolate area, “As people improve and straighten out pathways [before an important official arrives] [MET], make [yourselves] ready [DOU] [in order that you will be prepared when] the Lord [comes].”
4 John the Immerser came, in the wilderness, proclaiming an immersion of repentance for remission of sins;
[The messenger that Isaiah predicted was] John. [People called him] ‘The Baptizer’. In the desolate area near the Jordan River he kept telling people, “If you want God to forgive you for having sinned, you must turn away from your sinful behavior [before you ask me to] baptize [you].”
5 and there were going out unto him all the Judaea country and all they of Jerusalem, and were being immersed by him in the Jordan river, openly confessing their sins;
A great number [HYP] of people who lived in Jerusalem [city] and [elsewhere] in the Judea [district] were going out to where John was. There, [after hearing John’s message], they [responded by] confessing the sinful things [that they had done]. Then they were being baptized by John {John was baptizing them} in the Jordan River.
6 and John was clothed with camel’s-hair and a leathern girdle about his loins, and was eating locusts and wild honey;
John wore [rough] clothes made of camel’s hair. And [as the prophet Elijah had done], he wore a leather belt around his waist; and what he ate was [only] grasshoppers and honey [that he found] in that desolate area.
7 and he proclaimed, saying—He that is mightier than I cometh after [me], of whom I am not worthy to stoop and unloose the strap of his sandals:
He was preaching, “Very shortly a man will come who is very great. I [am nothing compared to him. Because he is so superior to me], I am not even worthy to [serve him like a slave] by stooping down and untying his sandals.
8 I, have immersed you, with water, —He, will immerse you, with the Holy Spirit.
I used [only] water when I baptized you [because you said that you wanted to change your lives], but he will put his Holy Spirit [within] you [to truly change your lives].”
9 And it came to pass, in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was immersed into the Jordan by John;
During that time [when John was preaching], Jesus came from Nazareth [town], which is in Galilee [district]. He went to [where John was preaching] and he was baptized by John {John baptized him} in the Jordan [River].
10 And, straightway, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rending asunder, and, the Spirit, as a dove, descending unto him;
Immediately after [Jesus] came up out of the water, he saw heaven opened up [and he saw] the Spirit [of God] descending on himself. He came in the form of a dove.
11 and a voice [came] out of the heavens—Thou, art my Son, the Beloved, —In thee, I delight.
And [God] [MTY] spoke to him from heaven saying, “You are my Son, whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you.”
12 And, straightway, the Spirit urgeth him forth into the wilderness;
(Then/Right away) the Spirit [of God] sent Jesus into the desolate area.
13 and he was in the wilderness, forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts, —and, the messengers, were ministering unto him.
He was there for 40 days. During that time, he was tempted by Satan {Satan tempted him}. There were wild animals [there] also. But angels took care of him.
14 And after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the glad-message of God,
Later, after John was put in prison {after [soldiers] put John in prison} [because he had rebuked the governor Herod Antipas for his sins], Jesus went to Galilee [district]. There he was preaching the good message [that came] from God.
15 [and saying]—The season is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God hath drawn near, —Repent ye, and have faith in the glad-message.
He was repeatedly saying, “Now is the time when God will begin to rule people’s lives [in a new way]. [So] turn away from your sinful behavior! Believe the good message [in order] ([to belong to him/to become those whose lives he will rule])!”
16 And, passing by near the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea, —for they were fishers;
[One day], while Jesus was walking along by Galilee Lake, he saw [two men], Simon and Simon’s [younger] brother, Andrew. They were casting their [fishing] net into the lake. They [earned money by] catching [and selling] fish.
17 and Jesus said unto them—Come after me, and I will make you become fishers of men;
Then Jesus said to them, “[Just like you have been] gathering fish, come with me and I will [teach] you how to [gather people to become my disciples]” [MET].
18 and, straightway, leaving the nets, they followed him.
Immediately they abandoned [the work that they were doing with] their nets, and they went with him.
19 And, going forward a little, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, and them who were in the boat putting in order the nets;
After they had gone on a little further, Jesus saw [two other men], James and James’ [younger] brother, John. They were the sons of [a man named] Zebedee. They were both in a boat mending [fishing] nets.
20 and, straightway, he called them, —and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat, with the hired men, they came away after him.
As soon as Jesus saw them, he told them that [they should leave their work and to come with him]. So they left their father, [who remained] in the boat with the hired servants, and they went away with Jesus.
21 And they journey into Capernaum. And, straightway, on the Sabbath, entering into the synagogue, he began teaching;
[Later] Jesus [and those disciples] arrived at Capernaum [town]. On the next (Sabbath/Jewish rest day), after Jesus had entered (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place), he began teaching [the people who had gathered there].
22 and they were being struck with astonishment at his teaching, —for he was teaching them as one having authority, and, not as the Scribes.
They were continually amazed at the way he taught. [He did] not [just teach what others had taught], like the men who teach the [Jewish] laws did. [They habitually just repeated what other people had taught]. Instead, he taught with [his own] authority.
23 And, straightway, there was in their synagogue, a man in an impure spirit, —and he cried out aloud,
Suddenly, [while he was teaching], a man [appeared] in their worship place who had an evil spirit in him, and he shouted,
24 saying—What have we in common with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, The Holy One of God.
“Jesus, from Nazareth [town, since] we [evil spirits] have nothing in common with you, ([do not interfere with us]!/what do you want with us [evil spirits]?) [RHQ] (Do not destroy us [now]!/Have you come to destroy us [now]?) [RHQ] I know who you are. I know that you are the holy one [who has come] from God!”
25 And Jesus rebuked him, [saying]—Be silenced, and come forth out of him!
Jesus rebuked [the evil spirit], saying, “Be quiet! And come out [of the man]!”
26 And the impure spirit, tearing him, and calling out with a loud voice, came forth out of him;
The evil spirit shook the man hard. He screamed loudly, and then he came out of the man [and left].
27 and they were amazed, one and all, so that they began to discuss among themselves, saying—What is this? New teaching! With authority, to the impure spirits also, he giveth orders, and they obey him!
All [the people who were there] were amazed. As a result, they discussed this among themselves, [exclaiming], “(This is [amazing]!/What is this?) [RHQ] Not only does he teach in a new and authoritative way, but also the evil spirits obey him [when] he commands [them]!”
28 And forth went the report of him, straightway, on every hand, into the surrounding country of Galilee.
The people very soon told [many others] throughout the whole Galilee district what Jesus [had done].
29 And, straightway, out of the synagogue, going forth, he went unto the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
After they left (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place), [Jesus, Simon and Andrew], along with James and John went directly to Simon and Andrew’s house.
30 Now, the mother-in-law of Simon, was lying in a fever, and, straightway, they speak to him concerning her;
Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed because she had a [high] fever. Right away someone told Jesus about her [being sick].
31 and, coming near, he raised her up, grasping her hand, —and the fever left her, and she began ministering unto them.
He went to her, and helped her up by taking hold of her hand. She recovered [at once] from the fever, and then she [got up and] served them [some food].
32 And, evening arriving, when the sun went in, they were bearing unto him all who were sick, and them who were demonized;
That evening, after the sun had gone down [and restrictions about travel on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day]) [were ended], some people brought to Jesus many people who were sick and others whose lives evil spirits were controlling.
33 and all the city was gathered unto the door;
[It seemed as though] everyone [HYP, MTY] [who lived in] the town was gathered at the doorway [of Simon’s house].
34 and he cured many that were sick with divers diseases, and, many demons, he cast out, and suffered not the demons to be talking, —because they knew him [to be Christ].
Jesus healed many people who were ill with various diseases. He also expelled many demons [from people]. He did not allow the demons to tell people [about him], because they knew that he [had come from God, and for various reasons he did not want everyone to know that yet].
35 And, very early by night arising, he went out [and departed] into a desert place, and, there, was praying;
Jesus got up very early [the next morning] while it was still dark. He left [the house] and went away [from the town] to a place where there were no people. Then he prayed there.
36 and Simon, and they who were with him, went in quest of him,
Simon and his companions searched for him. When they found him, [wanting him to go back to town to help other people], they said to him,
37 and found him, and say unto him—All, are seeking thee;
“[Come back to the town with us, because] many [HYP] people [in Capernaum] are looking for you!”
38 and he saith unto them—Let us be going elsewhere, into the neighbouring country-towns, in order that, there also, I may be making proclamation, —for, to this end, came I forth;
He said to them, “[No], let’s go on to the neighboring towns in order that I can preach there also, because the reason that I came [into the world] was to [preach to people] in many places!”
39 and he came, making proclamation, into their synagogues, throughout the whole of Galilee, —and, was casting the demons out.
So they went throughout Galilee [district. As they did so, each (Sabbath/Jewish rest day]) he preached in (synagogues/Jewish meeting places). He was also expelling evil spirits [from people].
40 And there cometh unto him, a leper, beseeching him and [kneeling], —saying unto him—If thou be willing, thou canst cleanse me;
[One day] a man who had [a bad skin disease called] leprosy came to Jesus. He knelt down in front of Jesus and then he pleaded with him saying, “[Please heal me, because I know] you are able to heal me if you want to!”
41 and, moved with compassion, he stretched forth the hand, and touched him, and saith unto him—I am willing, Be cleansed!
Jesus felt very sorry for him. [So he ignored the religious laws about coming close to people who had that disease]. He reached out his hand and touched the man. Then he said to him, “Since I am willing [to heal you], be healed {I heal you} [now]!”
42 and, straightway, the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed;
Immediately the man was healed! He was no longer a leper!
43 and, strictly charging him, straightway, he urged him forth;
Jesus spoke sternly to him before he sent him away.
44 and saith unto him—Mind! unto no one, say aught, —but withdraw, thyself, show unto the priest, and offer for thy cleansing what things Moses enjoined, for a witness unto them.
What Jesus said was, “Go to a local priest and show yourself to him [in order that he may examine you and verify that you are healed]. Then, [after the priest tells the local people], they will know [that you have been healed, and you will be able to associate with them again]. Make sure that you do not tell others [about what happened] Then go to [Jerusalem and take to the priest what Moses commanded that people who have been healed from leprosy should offer, in order that he] may offer it [as a sacrifice to God].”
45 But, he, going forth, began to be proclaiming many things, and blazing abroad the story, so that, no longer, was it possible for him, openly, into a city, to enter, —but, outside, in desert places, [was he], and they were coming unto him from every quarter.
The man went [and presented himself to the priest. But then] he began to tell many people about [how Jesus had healed him] [DOU]. As a result, Jesus was no longer able to enter any town publicly [because the crowds would surround him]. Instead, he remained outside [the towns] in places [where no people lived]. But people kept coming to him from all over that region.
