1The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, ,G746G2098G2424G5547G5207G23162as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" —G5613G1125G1722G4396G2400G1473G649G3450G32G4253G4675G4383G3739G2680G4675G3598G1715G46753"a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "G5456G994G1722G2048G2090G3598G2962G4160G846G5147G21174And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.G2491G1096G907G1722G2048G2532G2784G908G3341G1519G859G2665The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.G2532G1607G4314G846G3956G5561G2449G2532G2415G2532G907G3956G907G5259G846G1722G4215G2446G1843G846G2666John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.G1161G2491G2258G1746G2574G2359G2532G2223G1193G4012G846G3751G2532G2068G200G2532G66G31927And this was his message: "After me comes the one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.G2532G2784G3004G2064G2478G3450G3694G3450G2438G3739G846G5266G1510G3756G2425G2955G30898I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."G1473G3303G907G5209G1722G5204G1161G846G907G5209G1722G40G41519At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.G2532G1096G1722G1565G2250G2424G2064G575G3478G1056G2532G907G5259G2491G1519G244610Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.G2532G2112G305G575G5204G1492G3772G4977G2532G4151G5616G4058G2597G1909G84611And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."G2532G1096G5456G1537G3772G4771G1488G3450G27G5207G1722G3739G210612At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness,G2532G2117G4151G1544G846G1519G204813and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.G2532G2258G1563G1722G2048G5062G2250G3985G5259G4567G2532G2258G3326G2342G2532G32G1247G84614After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.G1161G3326G2491G3860G2424G2064G1519G1056G2784G2098G932G231615"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"G2532G3004G3754G2540G4137G2532G932G2316G1448G3340G2532G4100G1722G209816As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.G1161G4043G3844G2281G1056G1492G4613G2532G406G846G80G906G293G1722G2281G1063G2258G23117"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."G2532G2424G2036G846G1205G3694G3450G2532G4160G5209G1096G231G44418At once they left their nets and followed him.G2532G2112G863G846G1350G190G84619When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.G2532G4260G3641G4260G1564G1492G2385G3588G2199G2532G2491G846G80G846G2532G1722G4143G2675G135020Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.G2532G2112G2564G846G2532G863G846G3962G2199G1722G4143G3326G3411G565G3694G84621They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.G2532G1531G1519G2584G2532G2112G4521G1525G1519G4864G132122The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.G2532G1605G1909G846G1322G1063G1321G2258G846G5613G2192G1849G2532G3756G5613G112223Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,G2532G2258G1722G846G4864G444G1722G169G4151G2532G34924"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!"G3004G1436G5101G2254G2532G4671G2424G3479G2064G622G2248G1492G4571G5101G1488G40G231625"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"G2532G2424G2008G846G3004G5392G2532G1831G1537G84626The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.G2532G169G4151G4682G846G2532G2896G3173G5456G1831G1537G84627The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? Anew teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."G2532G2284G3956G2284G5620G4802G4314G846G3004G5101G2076G3778G5101G2537G1322G5124G3754G2596G1849G2004G2532G169G4151G2532G5219G84628News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.G1161G2117G846G189G1831G1519G3650G4066G105629As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.G2532G2112G1831G1537G4864G2064G1519G3614G4613G2532G406G3326G2385G2532G249130Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her.G1161G4613G3994G2621G4445G2532G2112G3004G846G4012G84631So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.G2532G4334G2902G846G5495G1453G846G1453G2532G2112G4446G863G846G2532G1247G84632That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.G1161G1096G3798G3753G2246G1416G5342G4314G846G3956G2192G2560G2532G113933The whole town gathered at the door,G2532G3650G4172G2258G1996G4314G237434and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.G2532G2323G4183G2192G2560G4164G3554G2532G1544G4183G1140G2532G863G3756G1140G2980G3754G1492G84635Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.G2532G4404G450G3029G1773G1831G2532G565G1519G2048G5117G2546G433636Simon and his companions went to look for him,G2532G4613G2532G3326G846G2614G84637and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"G2532G2147G846G3004G846G3754G3956G2212G457138Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."G2532G3004G846G71G1519G2192G2969G2443G2784G2546G1063G1519G5124G183139So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.G2532G2784G2258G1722G846G4864G1519G3650G1056G2532G1544G114040A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."G2532G2064G3015G4314G846G3870G846G2532G1120G846G2532G3004G846G3754G1437G2309G1410G2511G3165G251141Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"G1161G2424G4697G1614G5495G680G846G2532G3004G846G2309G251142Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.G2532G846G2036G2112G3014G565G575G846G2532G251143Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:G2532G1690G846G2112G1544G846G154444"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."G2532G3004G846G3708G2036G3367G3367G235G5217G1166G4572G2409G2532G4374G4012G4675G2512G3739G3475G4367G1519G3142G84645Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.G1161G1831G756G2784G4183G2532G1310G3056G5620G846G1410G3371G5320G1525G1519G4172G235G2258G1854G1722G2048G5117G2532G2064G4314G846G3836