1 The Preaching of John the Baptist The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:“Behold, IsendMy messenger 1:2 Lit before your face ahead ofYou,Who will prepareYour way;
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness,‘Make ready the way of the 1:3In OT, Yahweh, cf. Is 40:3 Lord,MakeHis paths straight.’ ”
4 1:4 Gr Joannes, Heb Johanan; so in Mark John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness 1:4 Or proclaiming preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 And all the region of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair andworea leather belt around his waist and was eating locusts and wild honey.
7 And he was 1:7Or proclaiming preaching, saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals.
8 I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”The Baptism of Jesus
9 1:9 Lit And Now it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens 1:10 Or being parted, being torn apart, cf. 15:38 opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him;
11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
12 And immediately the Spirit *drove Himto goout into the wilderness.
13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.Jesus Preaches in Galilee
14 Now after John had been delivered upinto custody, Jesus came into Galilee, 1:14 Or proclaiming preaching the gospel of God,
15 and saying,“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God 1:15 Lit has come near is at hand; repent and 1:15 Or put your trust in believe in the gospel.”
16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.
17 And Jesus said to them,“Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
19 And going on a little farther, He saw 1:19 Or Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob; so in Mark James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.
20 And immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away 1:20 Lit after Him to follow Him.
21 And they *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue andbegan toteach.
22 And they were astonished at His teaching; for He was teaching them asonehaving authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And immediately there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24 saying, “What 1:24Lit What to us and to You (a Heb idiom) do we have to do with You, Jesus the Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying,“Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26 And throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, so that they were arguing among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
28 And immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.Simon’s Mother-in-Law and Many Others Healed
29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they *spoke to 1:30 Lit Him Jesus about her.
31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she 1:31 Or served beganwaiting on them.
32 Now when evening came, after the sun had set, theybeganbringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed.
33 And the whole city had gathered at the door.
34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus rose up, went out ofthe house, and went away to a desolate place, and was praying there.
36 And Simon and his companions searched for Him;
37 and they found Him, and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”
38 And He *said to them,“Let us go elsewhere, to the towns nearby, so that I may 1:38Or proclaim preach there also; for that is what I came out for.”
39 And He went, 1:39Or proclaiming preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and casting out the demons.
40 And a leper *came to 1:40Lit Him Jesus, pleading with Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
41 And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him,“I am willing; be cleansed.”
42 And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away,
44 and He *said to him,“See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that 1:45Lit He Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but 1:45Lit was stayed out in desolate areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.