Mark 1

Beginning of good news

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son,

2 happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah:
Look, I am sending my messenger before you .
He will prepare your way,

3  a voice shouting in the wilderness:
" Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight ."t

John’s preaching

4 John was in the wilderness calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins.5 Everyone in Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to the Jordan River and were being baptized by John as they confessed their sins.6 John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.7 He announced, "One stronger than I am is coming after me. I’m not even worthy to bend over and loosen the strap of his sandals.

8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Jesus is baptized and tempted

9 About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River.10 While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him.

11 And there was a voice from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness."
12 At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness.

13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

Jesus’ message

14 After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news,

15 saying, "Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!"

Jesus calls disciples

16 As Jesus passed alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, for they were fishermen.17 "Come, follow me," he said, "and I’ll show you how to fish for people."18 Right away, they left their nets and followed him.19 After going a little further, he saw James and John, Zebedee’s sons, in their boat repairing the fishing nets.

20 At that very moment he called them. They followed him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers.

Jesus throws a demon out

21 Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching.22 The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts.23 Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed,

24 "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God."
25 "Silence!" Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. "Come out of him!"

26 The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.
27 Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, "What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!"

28 Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.

Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law

29 After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew.30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once.

31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.

Jesus’ ministry spreads

32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed.33 The whole town gathered near the door.

34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.
35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer.36 Simon and those with him tracked him down.

37 When they found him, they told him, "Everyone’s looking for you!"
38 He replied, "Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come."

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

A man with a skin disease

40 A man with a skin disease approached Jesus, fell to his knees, and begged, "If you want, you can make me clean."
41 Incensed,t Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do want to. Be clean."42 Instantly, the skin disease left him, and he was clean.43 Sternly, Jesus sent him away,44 saying, "Don’t say anything to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifice for your cleansing that Moses commanded. This will be a testimony to them."

45 Instead, he went out and started talking freely and spreading the news so that Jesus wasn’t able to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, but people came to him from everywhere.

Mark 1

The Ministry of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the gospels of Jesus Christ,t the Son of God.ss

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,s
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way,s

3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
makeshis paths straight.’”s
4 In the wildernesst John the baptizert began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.s5 Peoplet from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalems were going out to him, and he was baptizing themt in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.s7 He proclaimed,t “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthyts to bend down and untie the strapt of his sandals.

8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9 Nowt in those days Jesus came from Nazareths in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.t10 And just as Jesust was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavenst splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.s11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son;t in you I take great delight.”ts12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness.

13 He was in the wilderness forty days,s enduring temptations from Satan. Het was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs.t

Preaching in Galilee and the Call of the Disciples

14 Now after John was imprisoned,t Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospels of God.t15 Het said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of Gods is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).s17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.”ts18 They left their nets immediately and followed him.s19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in theirt boat mending nets.

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

Jesus’ Authority

21 Thent they went to Capernaum.ss When the Sabbath came,t Jesust went into the synagogues and began to teach.22 The people theret were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority,s not like the experts in the law.t23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit,s and he cried out,t24 “Leave us alone,ts Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy Ones of God!”25 Butt Jesus rebuked him:t “Silence! Come out of him!”s26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him.27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

28 Sot the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.

Healings at Simon’s House

29 Nowt as soon as they left the synagogue,s they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John.30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, sot they spoke to Jesust at once about her.31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to servet them.32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.33 The whole town gathered by the door.

34 Sot he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons.s Butt he would not permit the demons to speak,s because they knew him.s

Praying and Preaching

35 Thent Jesust got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.t36 Simon and his companions searched for him.37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”38 He replied,t “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.”t

39 Sot he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagoguess and casting out demons.

Cleansing a Leper

40 Nowt a lepers came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “Ift you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said.41 Moved with compassion,s Jesust stretched out his hand and toucheds him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!”42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean.43 Immediately Jesust sent the mant away with a very strong warning.44 He told him,t “See that you do not say anything to anyone,s but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commandeds for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”t

45 But as the mant went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesust was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Stillt they kept comingt to him from everywhere.