1The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ.
2It is said in the prophet Isaiah – ‘I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.
3The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: “Prepare the road for the Lord, make a straight path for him.”’
4John the Baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism on repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.
5The whole of Judea, as well as all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to him; and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6John wore clothes made of camels’ hair, with a leather strap around his waist, and lived on locusts and wild honey;
7and he proclaimed – “After me is coming someone more powerful than I am, and I am not fit even to stoop down and unfasten his sandals.
8I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10Just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Spirit coming down to him like a dove,
11and from the heavens came a voice – “You are my dearly loved son; you bring me great joy.”
12Immediately afterward the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness;
13and he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and among the wild beasts, while the angels helped him. The Work in Galilee
14After John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God –
15“The time has come, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the good news.”
16As 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“Come and follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will teach you to fish for people.”
18They left their nets at once, and followed him.
19Going on a little further, he saw James, Zebedee’s son, and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.
20Jesus called them at once, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the crew, and went after him.
21They walked to Capernaum. On the next Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.
22The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the teachers of the Law.
23Now there was in their synagogue at the time a man under the power of a foul spirit, who called out,
24“What do you want with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!”
25But Jesus rebuked the spirit, “Be silent! Come out from him.”
26The foul spirit threw the man into a fit, and with a loud cry came out from him.
27They were all so amazed that they kept asking each other, “What is this? What is this, a new kind of teaching? He gives his commands with authority even to the foul spirits, and they obey him!”
28His fame spread at once in all directions, through the whole region of Galilee.
29As soon as they had left the synagogue, they went to the house of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John.
30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying ill with a fever, and they at once told Jesus about her.
31Jesus went up to her and, grasping her hand, raised her up; the fever left her, and she began to take care of them.
32In the evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were ill or possessed by demons;
33and the whole city was gathered around the door.
34Jesus 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.
35In the morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and went out to a lonely spot, where he began to pray.
36But Simon and his companions went out searching for him;
37and, when they found him, they exclaimed, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38But Jesus said to them, “Let us go somewhere else, into the country towns nearby so that I can make my proclamation in them also; for that was why I came.”
39And he went about making his proclamation in their synagogues all through Galilee, and driving out the demons.
40One 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.”
41Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying as he did so, “I am willing; become clean.”
42Instantly the leprosy left the man, and he became clean;
43and then Jesus, after sternly warning him, immediately sent him away,
44and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure.”
45The 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.