Mark 1

John Prepares the Way—Matthew 3:1–12; Luke 3:1–18

1 This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2 The prophet Isaiah wrote,“I am sending my messenger ahead of youto prepare the way for you.”3 “A voice cries out in the desert:‘Prepare the way for the Lord!Make his paths straight!’ ”4 John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentancet for the forgiveness of sins.

5 All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 John was dressed in clothes made from camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.7 He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.

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

John Baptizes Jesus—Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:21–22

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.10 As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove.

11 A voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you.”

Satan Tempts Jesus—Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13

12 At once the Spirit brought him into the desert,

13 where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. He was there with the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

Calling of the First Disciples—Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11

14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and told people the Good News of God.

15 He said, “The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News.”
16 As he was going along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.17 Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish.”

18 They immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 As Jesus went on a little farther, he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat preparing their nets to go fishing.

20 He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee and the hired men in the boat and followed Jesus.

Jesus Forces an Evil Spirit out of a Man—Luke 4:31–37

21 Then they went to Capernaum. On the next day of worship, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

22 The people were amazed at his teachings. Unlike their scribes, he taught them with authority.
23 At that time there was a man in the synagogue who was controlled by an evil spirit. He shouted,

24 “What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 Jesus ordered the spirit, “Keep quiet, and come out of him!”

26 The evil spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek.
27 Everyone was stunned. They said to each other, “What is this? This is a new teaching that has authority behind it! He gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him.”28 The news about him spread quickly throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Cures Simon’s Mother–in–Law and Many Others—Matthew 8:14–18; Luke 4:38–41

29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew. James and John went with them.30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. The first thing they did was to tell Jesus about her.

31 Jesus went to her, took her hand, and helped her get up. The fever went away, and she prepared a meal for them.
32 In the evening, when the sun had set, people brought to him everyone who was sick and those possessed by demons.33 The whole city had gathered at his door.

34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases and forced many demons out of people. However, he would not allow the demons to speak. After all, they knew who he was.

Spreading the Good News in Galilee—Matthew 4:23–25; Luke 4:42–44

35 In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.36 Simon and his friends searched for him.

37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 Jesus said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else, to the small towns that are nearby. I have to spread the Good News in them also. This is why I have come.”39 So he went to spread the Good News in the synagogues all over Galilee, and he forced demons out of people.

Jesus Cures a Man With a Skin Disease—Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–14

40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to him. The man fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “If you’re willing, you can make me clean.”t41 Jesus felt sorry for him, reached out, touched him, and said, “I’m willing. So be clean!”42 Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean.43 Jesus sent him away at once and warned him,

44 “Don’t tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifices which Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”
45 When the man left, he began to talk freely. He spread his story so widely that Jesus could no longer enter any city openly. Instead, he stayed in places where he could be alone. But people still kept coming 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.