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 Good News about Jesus Christ.
It is said in the Prophet Isaiah — ‘Behold! I send my Messenger before thy face; he shall prepare thy way.
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 aloud in the Wilderness: “Make ready the way of 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].”
And in fulfilment of this, John the Baptizer appeared in the Wilderness, proclaiming a baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness 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 of Judea, as well as all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to him; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, 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.
John was clad in clothing of camels’ hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and lived on 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.
and he proclaimed — “There is coming after me one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to stoop down and unfasten his sandals.
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].
Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in 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.
And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent apart, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him,
11 And [God] [MTY] spoke to him from heaven saying, “You are my Son, whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you.”
and from the heavens came a voice — “Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight.”
12 (Then/Right away) the Spirit [of God] sent Jesus into the desolate area.
Immediately afterwards the Spirit drove Jesus 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 forty days, tempted by Satan, and among the wild beasts, while 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 had been committed to prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News 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])!”
“The time has come, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the Good News.”
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 going along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew 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].
“Come and follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will set you to fish for men.”
18 Immediately they abandoned [the work that they were doing with] their nets, and they went with him.
They left their nets at once, 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 further, he saw James, Zebediah’s son, and his brother John, who also were in their boat mending the 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.
Jesus at once called them, and they left their father Zebediah in the boat with the crew, and went after 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].
And they walked into Capernaum. On the next Sabbath Jesus went into the Synagogue and began to teach.
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 amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the Teachers of the Law.
23 Suddenly, [while he was teaching], a man [appeared] in their worship place who had an evil spirit in him, and he shouted,
Now there was in their Synagogue at the time a man under the power of a foul spirit, who called 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!”
“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!”
25 Jesus rebuked [the evil spirit], saying, “Be quiet! And come out [of the man]!”
But Jesus rebuked the spirit: “Be silent! Come out from him.”
26 The evil spirit shook the man hard. He screamed loudly, and then he came out of the man [and left].
The foul spirit threw the man into a fit, and with a loud cry came out from him.
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]!”
And they were all so amazed that they kept asking: “What is this? Strange teaching indeed! He gives his commands with authority even to the foul spirits, and they obey him!”
28 The people very soon told [many others] throughout the whole Galilee district what Jesus [had done].
And the fame of Jesus spread at once in all directions, through the whole neighbourhood 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.
As soon as they had come out from the Synagogue, they went, with James and John, into the house of Simon and Andrew.
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 was lying ill with fever, and they at once 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].
Jesus went up to her and, grasping her hand, raised her up; the fever left her, and she began to wait upon 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.
In the evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were ill or 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].
and the whole city was gathered round 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].
Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.
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.
In the morning, long before daylight, Jesus rose and went out, and, going to a lonely spot, there began to pray.
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,
But Simon and his companions hastened after 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 exclaimed: “Every one is looking for you!”
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!”
But Jesus said to them: “Let us go somewhere else, into the country towns near, that I may make my proclamation in them also; for that was why I came.”
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].
And he went about making his proclamation in their Synagogues all through Galilee, and driving out the 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!”
One day a leper came to Jesus and, falling on his knees, begged him for help. “If only you are willing,” he said, “you are able to 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 and touched him, saying as he did so: “I am willing; become clean.”
42 Immediately the man was healed! He was no longer a leper!
Instantly the leprosy left the man, and he became clean;
43 Jesus spoke sternly to him before he sent him away.
and then Jesus, after sternly warning him, immediately sent him away, and said to him:
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].”
“Be careful not to say anything to any one; but go and show yourself to the Priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure.”
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.
The man, however, went away, and began to speak about it publicly, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places; and people came to him from every direction.
