< Mark 1 >
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in the Prophets, “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of yoʋ, who will prepare yoʋr way before yoʋ,
3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight,’”
4 John came 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 were the 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 up from 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 beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness,
13 and he was there 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 gospel of the kingdom of God
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the gospel.”
16 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother (that is, Simon's brother) casting a net in the sea, for they were fishermen.
17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
18 So they immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 Going on a little farther from 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 Jesus went into the 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, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
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 questioned among 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 immediately spread 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 knew who 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, “Let us go into the neighboring towns so that I may preach there also, for that is why I have come.”
39 So he was preaching in their synagogues in all of Galilee and casting out demons.
40 Then a leper came up and knelt 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, “I am willing; be made clean.”
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, “Be sure not to say anything to anyone, but go show yoʋrself to the priest and offer for yoʋr cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
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.
