Mark

¹This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

²As it is written in the prophets: "Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way."

³"A voice crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

⁴John the Baptist was in the wilderness, baptizing people and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

⁵The whole region of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him, and he baptized them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

⁶John wore clothing made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

⁷He preached, saying, "One more powerful than I is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and unfasten."

⁸"I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost."

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

¹⁰Just as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

¹¹A voice came from heaven: "You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased."

¹²Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

¹³He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan, and he was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to him.

¹⁴After John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.

¹⁵He said, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel."

¹⁶Walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen.

¹⁷Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

¹⁸Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹Going a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in their boat mending their nets.

²⁰Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired hands and followed him.

²¹They went to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach.

²²The people were astonished at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not like the scribes.

²³There was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

²⁴"Leave us alone! 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."

²⁵Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet and come out of him."

²⁶The unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek.

²⁷Everyone was so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

²⁸His fame spread immediately throughout the whole region of Galilee.

²⁹As soon as they left the synagogue, they went to the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.

³⁰Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her right away.

³¹He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them.

³²That evening after sunset, people brought to him all who were sick or demon-possessed.

³³The whole city had gathered at the door.

³⁴He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. He would not let the demons speak, because they knew who he was.

³⁵Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up and went to a solitary place, where he prayed.

³⁶Simon and his companions went out searching for him.

³⁷When they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you."

³⁸He replied, "Let us go to the nearby villages so I can preach there too. That is why I came."

³⁹He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

⁴⁰A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

⁴¹Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean."

⁴²The leprosy left him immediately and he was cured.

⁴³Jesus sent him away with a stern warning at once,

⁴⁴"See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."

⁴⁵Instead, the man went out and began spreading the news widely, so that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed out in remote places. Yet people came to him from everywhere.