Mark 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God

. It beganG746G2098G2424G5547G5207G23162just as the prophet Isaiah had written: "Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way

.G5613G1125G1722G4396G2400G1473G649G3450G32G4253G4675G4383G3739G2680G4675G3598G1715G46753He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the LORD's coming! Clear the road for him!'

"G5456G994G1722G2048G2090G3598G2962G4160G846G5147G21174This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.G2491G1096G907G1722G2048G2532G2784G908G3341G1519G859G2665All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.G2532G1607G4314G846G3956G5561G2449G2532G2415G2532G907G3956G907G5259G846G1722G4215G2446G1843G846G2666His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.G1161G2491G2258G1746G2574G2359G2532G2223G1193G4012G846G3751G2532G2068G200G2532G66G31927John announced: "Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.G2532G2784G3004G2064G2478G3450G3694G3450G2438G3739G846G5266G1510G3756G2425G2955G30898I baptize you with

water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"G1473G3303G907G5209G1722G5204G1161G846G907G5209G1722G40G4151

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River.G2532G1096G1722G1565G2250G2424G2064G575G3478G1056G2532G907G5259G2491G1519G244610As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him

like a dove.G2532G2112G305G575G5204G1492G3772G4977G2532G4151G5616G4058G2597G1909G84611And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."G2532G1096G5456G1537G3772G4771G1488G3450G27G5207G1722G3739G210612The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness,G2532G2117G4151G1544G846G1519G204813where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.G2532G2258G1563G1722G2048G5062G2250G3985G5259G4567G2532G2258G3326G2342G2532G32G1247G84614Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God's Good News

.G1161G3326G2491G3860G2424G2064G1519G1056G2784G2098G932G231615"The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"G2532G3004G3754G2540G4137G2532G932G2316G1448G3340G2532G4100G1722G2098

The First Disciples

16One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon

and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.G1161G4043G3844G2281G1056G1492G4613G2532G406G846G80G906G293G1722G2281G1063G2258G23117Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"G2532G2424G2036G846G1205G3694G3450G2532G4160G5209G1096G231G44418And they left their nets at once and followed him.G2532G2112G863G846G1350G190G84619A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee's sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets.G2532G4260G3641G4260G1564G1492G2385G3588G2199G2532G2491G846G80G846G2532G1722G4143G2675G135020He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.G2532G2112G2564G846G2532G863G846G3962G2199G1722G4143G3326G3411G565G3694G846

Jesus Casts Out an Evil Spirit

21Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach.G2532G1531G1519G2584G2532G2112G4521G1525G1519G4864G132122The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.G2532G1605G1909G846G1322G1063G1321G2258G846G5613G2192G1849G2532G3756G5613G112223Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil

spirit began shouting,G2532G2258G1722G846G4864G444G1722G169G4151G2532G34924"Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One sent from God!"G3004G1436G5101G2254G2532G4671G2424G3479G2064G622G2248G1492G4571G5101G1488G40G231625Jesus cut him short. "Be quiet! Come out of the man," he ordered.G2532G2424G2008G846G3004G5392G2532G1831G1537G84626At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.G2532G169G4151G4682G846G2532G2896G3173G5456G1831G1537G84627Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. "What sort of new teaching is this?" they asked excitedly. "It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!"G2532G2284G3956G2284G5620G4802G4314G846G3004G5101G2076G3778G5101G2537G1322G5124G3754G2596G1849G2004G2532G169G4151G2532G5219G84628The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.G1161G2117G846G189G1831G1519G3650G4066G1056

Jesus Heals Many People

29After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew's home.G2532G2112G1831G1537G4864G2064G1519G3614G4613G2532G406G3326G2385G2532G249130Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away.G1161G4613G3994G2621G4445G2532G2112G3004G846G4012G84631So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.G2532G4334G2902G846G5495G1453G846G1453G2532G2112G4446G863G846G2532G1247G84632That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus.G1161G1096G3798G3753G2246G1416G5342G4314G846G3956G2192G2560G2532G113933The whole town gathered at the door to watch.G2532G3650G4172G2258G1996G4314G237434So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.G2532G2323G4183G2192G2560G4164G3554G2532G1544G4183G1140G2532G863G3756G1140G2980G3754G1492G846

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.G2532G4404G450G3029G1773G1831G2532G565G1519G2048G5117G2546G433636Later Simon and the others went out to find him.G2532G4613G2532G3326G846G2614G84637When they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you."G2532G2147G846G3004G846G3754G3956G2212G457138But Jesus replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came."G2532G3004G846G71G1519G2192G2969G2443G2784G2546G1063G1519G5124G183139So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.G2532G2784G2258G1722G846G4864G1519G3650G1056G2532G1544G1140

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

40A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said.G2532G2064G3015G4314G846G3870G846G2532G1120G846G2532G3004G846G3754G1437G2309G1410G2511G3165G251141Moved with compassion

, Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!"G1161G2424G4697G1614G5495G680G846G2532G3004G846G2309G251142Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.G2532G846G2036G2112G3014G565G575G846G2532G251143Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning.G2532G1690G846G2112G1544G846G154444"Don't tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy

. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."G2532G3004G846G3708G2036G3367G3367G235G5217G1166G4572G2409G2532G4374G4012G4675G2512G3739G3475G4367G1519G3142G84645But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.G1161G1831G756G2784G4183G2532G1310G3056G5620G846G1410G3371G5320G1525G1519G4172G235G2258G1854G1722G2048G5117G2532G2064G4314G846G3836