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!"G1473G3303G907G5209G1722G5204G1161G846G907G5209G1722G40G41519One 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!"G2532G3004G3754G2540G4137G2532G932G2316G1448G3340G2532G4100G1722G209816One 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.G2532G2112G2564G846G2532G863G846G3962G2199G1722G4143G3326G3411G565G3694G84621Jesus 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.G1161G2117G846G189G1831G1519G3650G4066G105629After 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.G2532G2323G4183G2192G2560G4164G3554G2532G1544G4183G1140G2532G863G3756G1140G2980G3754G1492G84635Before 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.G2532G2784G2258G1722G846G4864G1519G3650G1056G2532G1544G114040A 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
2When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.G2532G3825G1525G1519G2584G1223G2250G2532G191G3754G2076G1519G36242Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God's word to them,G2532G2112G4183G4863G5620G5562G3371G5562G3366G4314G2374G2532G2980G3056G8463four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.G2532G2064G4314G846G5342G3885G142G5259G50644They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.G2532G1410G3361G4331G846G1223G3793G648G4721G3699G2258G2532G1846G5465G2895G1909G3739G3885G26215Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."G1161G2424G1492G846G4102G3004G3885G5043G4675G266G863G46716But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves,G1161G2258G5100G1122G2521G1563G2532G1260G1722G846G25887"What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"G5101G2980G3778G3779G2980G988G5101G1410G863G266G1508G2316G15208Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts?G2532G2112G2424G1921G846G4151G3754G3779G1260G1722G1438G2036G846G5101G1260G5023G1722G5216G25889Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk'?G5101G2076G2123G2036G3885G266G863G4671G2228G2036G1453G2532G142G4675G2895G2532G404310So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said,G1161G2443G1492G3754G5207G444G2192G1849G1909G1093G863G266G3004G388511"Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"G3004G4671G1453G2532G142G4675G2895G2532G5217G1519G4675G362412And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, "We've never seen anything like this before!"G2532G2112G1453G142G2895G2532G1831G1726G3956G5620G1839G3956G1839G2532G1392G2316G3004G3754G1492G3763G1492G377913Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him.G2532G1831G3825G3844G2281G2532G3956G3793G2064G4314G846G2532G1321G84614As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.G2532G3855G1492G3018G256G2521G1909G5058G2532G3004G846G190G3427G2532G450G190G84615Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.G2532G1096G1722G846G2621G1722G846G3614G4183G5057G2532G268G4873G2532G4873G2424G2532G846G3101G1063G2258G4183G2532G190G84616But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"G2532G1122G2532G5330G1492G846G2068G3326G5057G2532G268G3004G846G3101G5101G3754G2068G2532G4095G3326G5057G2532G26817When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."G2532G2424G191G3004G846G2480G2192G3756G5532G2395G235G2192G2560G2064G3756G2564G1342G235G268G1519G334118Once when John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't your disciples fast like John's disciples and the Pharisees do?"G2532G3101G2491G2532G5330G2258G3522G2532G2064G2532G3004G846G1302G3522G3101G2491G2532G5330G3522G1161G4674G3101G3522G375619Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can't fast while the groom is with them.G2532G2424G2036G846G3361G1410G5207G3567G3522G1722G3739G3566G2076G3326G846G3745G5550G2192G3566G3326G1438G3756G1410G352220But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.G1161G2250G2064G3752G3566G522G575G846G2532G5119G3522G1722G1565G225021"Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.G3762G2532G1976G1915G46G4470G1909G3820G2440G1490G2537G4138G142G846G3820G2532G4978G1096G550122"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins."G2532G3762G906G3501G3631G1519G3820G779G1490G3501G3631G4486G779G2532G3631G1632G2532G779G622G235G3501G3631G992G1519G2537G77923One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat.G2532G1096G846G3899G1223G4702G1722G4521G2532G846G3101G756G3598G4160G5089G471924But the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"G2532G5330G3004G846G2396G5101G4160G1722G4521G3739G1832G3756G183225Jesus said to them, "Haven't you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?G2532G846G3004G846G3763G314G5101G1138G4160G3753G2192G5532G2532G3983G846G2532G3326G84626He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions."G4459G1525G1519G3624G2316G1909G8G749G2532G5315G740G4286G3739G1832G3756G1832G5315G1508G2409G2532G1325G2532G5607G4862G84627Then Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.G2532G3004G846G4521G1096G1223G444G3756G444G1223G452128So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!"G5620G5207G444G2076G2962G2532G4521
3Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand.G2532G1525G3825G1519G4864G2532G2258G444G1563G2192G3583G5495 2Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.G2532G3906G846G1487G2323G846G4521G2443G2723G846 3Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone."G2532G3004G444G2192G3583G5495G1453G1519G3319 4Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him.G2532G3004G846G1832G15G4521G2228G2554G4982G5590G2228G615G1161G4623 5He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!G2532G4017G846G3326G3709G4818G1909G4457G846G2588G3004G444G1614G4675G5495G2532G1614G2532G846G5495G600G5199G5613G243 6At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.G2532G5330G1831G2112G4160G4824G3326G2265G2596G846G3704G622G846 7Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea,G2532G2424G402G3326G846G3101G4314G2281G2532G4183G4128G575G1056G190G846G2532G575G2449 8Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.G2532G575G2414G2532G575G2401G2532G4008G2446G2532G4012G5184G2532G4605G4183G4128G191G3745G4160G2064G4314G846 9Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him.G2532G2036G846G3101G2443G4142G4342G846G1223G3793G3363G2346G846 10He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him.G1063G2323G4183G5620G1968G846G2443G680G846G3745G2192G3148 11And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, "You are the Son of God!"G2532G169G4151G3752G2334G846G4363G846G2532G2896G3004G3754G4771G1488G5207G2316 12But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.G2532G4183G2008G846G3363G4160G3363G4160G846G5318 13Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him.G2532G305G1519G3735G2532G4341G3739G846G2309G2532G565G4314G846 14Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach,G2532G4160G1427G2443G5600G3326G846G2532G2443G649G846G649G2784 15giving them authority to cast out demons.G2532G2192G1849G2323G3554G2532G1544G1140 16These are the twelve he chose: Simon ,G2532G4613G2007G3686G4074 17James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder"),G2532G2385G3588G2199G2532G2491G80G2385G2532G2007G3686G846G993G3603G5207G1027 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot),G2532G406G2532G5376G2532G918G2532G3156G2532G2381G2532G2385G3588G256G2532G2280G2532G4613G2581 19Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).G2532G2455G2469G3739G2532G3860G846G2532G2064G1519G3624 20One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat.G2532G3793G4905G3825G5620G846G1410G3361G3383G5315G740 21When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said.G2532G846G3844G191G1831G2902G846G1063G3004G3754G1839 22But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, "He's possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That's where he gets the power to cast out demons."G2532G1122G3588G2597G575G2414G3004G3754G2192G954G3754G2532G1722G758G1140G1544G1140 23Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. "How can Satan cast out Satan?" he asked.G2532G4341G846G3004G846G1722G3850G4459G1410G4567G1544G4567 24"A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse.G2532G1437G932G3307G1909G1438G1565G932G3756G1410G2476 25Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.G2532G1437G3614G3307G1909G1438G1565G3614G3756G1410G2476 26And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive.G2532G1487G4567G450G1909G1438G2532G3307G3756G1410G2476G235G2192G5056 27Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.G3762G3756G1410G1525G1519G2478G3614G1283G846G4632G3362G1210G4412G1210G2478G2532G5119G1283G846G3614 28"I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven,G281G3004G5213G3754G3956G265G863G5207G444G2532G988G3745G302G987 29but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences."G1161G3739G302G987G1519G40G4151G2192G3756G1519G165G859G235G2076G1777G166G2920 30He told them this because they were saying, "He's possessed by an evil spirit."G3754G3004G2192G169G4151 31Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them.G2064G3767G846G80G2532G3384G2532G2476G1854G649G4314G846G5455G846 32There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, "Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you."G2532G3793G2521G4012G846G1161G2036G846G2400G4675G3384G2532G4675G80G1854G2212G4571 33Jesus replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"G2532G611G846G3004G5101G2076G3450G3384G2228G3450G80 34Then he looked at those around him and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers.G2532G4017G2945G3588G2521G4012G846G3004G2396G3450G3384G2532G3450G80 35Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."G1063G3739G302G4160G2307G2316G3778G2076G3450G80G2532G3450G79G2532G3384
Dublin, OH
. It beganG746
