Mark 1
1 ([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].
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the Prophets, “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of yoʋ, who will prepare yoʋr way before yoʋ,
3 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].”
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight,’”
4 [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].”
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
5 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.
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 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.
Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist; he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 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.
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 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].”
I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 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].
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 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.
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 And [God] [MTY] spoke to him from heaven saying, “You are my Son, whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you.”
Then a voice came from heaven: “Yoʋ are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
12 (Then/Right away) the Spirit [of God] sent Jesus into the desolate area.
Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness,
13 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.
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 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.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God
15 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])!”
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the gospel.”
16 [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.
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 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].
Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
18 Immediately they abandoned [the work that they were doing with] their nets, and they went with him.
So they immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 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.
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 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.
Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
21 [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].
They went to Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and began teaching.
22 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.
The people were astonished at his teaching, because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Suddenly, [while he was teaching], a man [appeared] in their worship place who had an evil spirit in him, and he shouted,
Now in their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit. He cried out,
24 “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!”
“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 Jesus rebuked [the evil spirit], saying, “Be quiet! And come out [of the man]!”
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
26 The evil spirit shook the man hard. He screamed loudly, and then he came out of the man [and left].
So the unclean spirit convulsed the man and came out of him, crying out with a loud voice.
27 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]!”
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 The people very soon told [many others] throughout the whole Galilee district what Jesus [had done].
And the news about him immediately spread throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
29 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.
After leaving the synagogue, they immediately went to the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed because she had a [high] fever. Right away someone told Jesus about her [being sick].
Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her.
31 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].
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 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.
When evening came, after the sun had set, they brought to Jesus all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons.
33 [It seemed as though] everyone [HYP, MTY] [who lived in] the town was gathered at the doorway [of Simon’s house].
The whole city was gathered together at the door,
34 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].
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 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.
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 for him. When they found him, [wanting him to go back to town to help other people], they said to him,
Simon and his companions searched diligently for him,
37 “[Come back to the town with us, because] many [HYP] people [in Capernaum] are looking for you!”
and when they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is looking for yoʋ.”
38 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!”
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 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].
So he was preaching in their synagogues in all of Galilee and casting out demons.
40 [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!”
Then a leper came up and knelt before him, begging him, “If yoʋ are willing, yoʋ can make me clean.”
41 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]!”
Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the man, and said to him, “I am willing; be made clean.”
42 Immediately the man was healed! He was no longer a leper!
When he said this, the leprosy immediately departed from the man, and he was made clean.
43 Jesus spoke sternly to him before he sent him away.
Then Jesus sternly warned him and immediately sent him away,
44 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].”
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 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.
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.
